NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 8, Webster 0 (F/5)
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 5, Webster 4
Records: Piedmont 9-8; Webster 4-5           
 
DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont University's softball team got back to its winning ways on Thursday afternoon as the Lady Lions swept a pair of contests versus Webster University to get back above .500 for the season.
 
The Lady Lions made easy work of the Gorloks in an 8-0 (F/5) game one victory before coming out on top of a back-and-forth game two by a score of 5-4. The wins extend the current Piedmont win streak to three games.
 
Game 1 – Piedmont 8, Webster 0 (F/5)
 
The Lady Lions got up early and never looked back in game one as four runs in the bottom of the second blew the game open. After HANNAH SMITH reached on an error to start the frame, Taylor Bucker kept the line moving with her first career hit before KENNEDY VOTAVA reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases.
 
With two outs, DREW GRAHAM wore a pitch off the wrist, a painful RBI for the third baseman to plate Piedmont's first run. That set up a two-RBI single up the middle from KARA TAYLOR to put Piedmont ahead 3-0 and force Webster starter Sarah Shepard from the game.
 
MADISON HENRY was up next to face new pitcher Arianna Arias and delivered yet another RBI single to push the Lady Lions' lead to 4-0. All four runs in the inning were scored with two outs and all were unearned.
 
Three straight hits led off the bottom of the third inning as a single from Smith, an RBI triple from LAUREN ENGLISH, and an RBI double from Buckner plated two more runs and put Piedmont ahead 6-0. Graham would add an RBI groundout later in the frame to put Piedmont up 7-0 and put the eight-run mercy rule in play.
 
Webster threatened to score in the top of the fifth when Sheyla Iniguez doubled to right centerfield with two outs, but a perfect relay from HANNAH CALLAWAY and Smith cut down a Gorlok baserunner at home to end the inning and give the Lady Lions a boost heading into the bottom half.
 
Piedmont put the finishing touches on the five-inning win thanks to a two-out single from REBEKAH STEGMAYER to set up the game-winning RBI hit from Graham.
 
Stegmayer stole second before the final base hit to give her two stolen bases in the first game and to move her into first place in career stolen bases on Piedmont's Division III era record book.
 
Starter MARTINA MALOCH went the full five innings in game one to earn the win after allowing six hits and zero walks to go along with four strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – Piedmont 5, Webster 4
 
Game two saw Webster bring the fight to the Lady Lions as a pair of Gorlok runs in the third inning opened the scoring and gave the Gorloks their first lead of the doubleheader.
 
A two-out error extended the inning and led to a pair of back-to-back RBI singles from Katie Croxall and Kaelyn Kearney to give Webster a 2-0 lead after three.
 
The Lady Lions didn't stay down for long as they hung another crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. With one out, EMMA MCBRAYER laced her second double of the game to left centerfield to score the pinch-runner Callaway to get Piedmont on the board.
 
McBrayer would later score when English reached on an error to even the score at 2-2, which set up a first-and-third delayed steal that saw English reach second while Buckner raced home to put Piedmont ahead 3-2.
 
Webster fought right back and regained the lead in the top of the fifth when a two-out, two-RBI single from Emma Bovaconti put the Gorloks back in front at 4-3.
 
That momentum was short lived for Webster yet again as Piedmont manufactured the tying run in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff single and stolen base from Stagmayer, a sac bunt from Graham, and an RBI single from Taylor.
 
Later in the frame with two outs and the bases loaded, pinch-hitter MEGAN STEINMEYER delivered the go-ahead RBI single to score pinch-runner LEXI CHITWOOD and put Piedmont ahead 5-4.
 
After the inning, McBrayer was pulled from the circle in favor of Maloch. Maloch held the Gorloks scoreless over the final two innings to earn the save and help lift the Lady Lions to a Thursday afternoon sweep.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- MARTINA MALOCH earned one win and one save for her two appearances on Thursday. She totaled seven innings, five strikeouts, seven hits, and zero runs allowed on the day.
- EMMA MCBRAYER did it all in game two as she went 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, a run, and an RBI while pitching five innings and allowing just two earned runs.
- DREW GRAHAM was 2-for-3 with three RBIs in game one and delivered an important sacrifice bunt late in game two.
- Taylor Bucker scored three runs in the doubleheader while recording her first career hit, first career extra-base hit, and first career RBI in game one.
 
UP NEXT:
- The Lady Lions get another long break before their next outing, which will come next Saturday, March 26, in a doubleheader at Agnes Scott to open USA South conference play. Start times are TBA.  
 
HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.