NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 6, Oglethorpe 4
Records: Piedmont, 15-16-1; Oglethorpe 16-19
DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont University baseball team used a solid offensive night to claim a 6-4 win over Oglethorpe at Loudermilk Field Tuesday.
ZEKE SWARTZ was electric out of the gate with three strikeouts in the first inning and six through the first three innings and worked a clean 1-2-3 inning in the third.
Piedmont was quick on the board with
ALEX GONZALEZ riding a hot streak with a home run in the first inning.
Piedmont capitalized on momentum with a five spot in the second inning with five runs on six hits with all five runs coming with two outs.
HEATH WALDROP got the party started with an RBI double followed by
ALEX GONZALEZ tacking on two additional RBI. Gonzalez was 2-for-2 with a home run, single and three RBI through the first two innings.
KYLE CARLSON and
HUNTER CAIN both added RBI hits in the inning to increase Piedmont's lead to 6-0. Swartz pitched through the fifth inning with nine total strikeouts, a career-high for the freshman who had just one strikeout coming into the contest.
The Lions struggled in the sixth inning allowing three runs after an error and three hits.
KYLE YORK settled in to work a clean seventh and eighth inning before giving way to
TYLER ROON. Roon felt the heat in the top of the ninth but despite the Stormy Petrels loading the bases, he did not surrender a run.
Swartz earned his first collegiate victory while Roon earned his second save of the season.
Up next, Piedmont hosts Huntingdon for a weekend conference series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. This marks the final home conference series of the season for the Lions.
TURNING POINT:
--The Lions used a monster second inning scoring five runs to take control of the contest.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--An electric start from
ZEKE SWARTZ gave the Lions confidence as Swartz struck out a career-high nine batters.
--
ALEX GONZALEZ continued his hot streak with a home run in the first inning, three RBI and went 2-for-4 in the contest.
NEWS AND NOTES:
--The game marked the final mid-week contest of the regular season at home for the Lions.
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.
