NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 5, Berea 4
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 5, Berea 0
Records: Piedmont 26-9 (15-1 USAS); Berea 13-20 (5-11 USAS)
 
DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont University's softball team had to wake up early on Saturday for a 9:00 a.m. doubleheader with Berea, but the Lady Lions made it worth their while with another sweep to finish the regular season 15-1 in conference play.
 
KARA TAYLOR's game-tying three-run homer and EMMA MCBRAYER's game-winning sacrifice fly lifted the Lady Lions to a 5-4 come-from-behind win in game one before MARTINA MALOCH pitched another shutout to give Piedmont a 5-0 win and a sweep on Senior Day.
 
Game 1 – Piedmont 5, Berea 4
 
Piedmont got off to a sluggish start in game on Saturday morning, and the underdog Mountaineers took advantage.
 
Berea scratched an unearned run across in the first as a walk and a pair of passed balls preceded an RBI single from Hayleigh Gnagie. The Mountaineers added another in the top of the second with a pair of hits to push the lead to 2-0.
 
The Lady Lions got on the board in the bottom half as EMMA MCBRAYER reached on an error before back-to-back hits – a double from TAYLOR BUCKNER and an infield single from HANNAH SMITH – brought her home for the team's first run.
 
The Mountaineers added to their lead in the fourth and the fifth with a run in each frame. Madison McIntosh helped her own cause with her second RBI single of the game to increase her lead to 3-1 in the fourth before two more Berea hits in the fifth plated another to go up 4-1.
 
McIntosh had been one of the breakout stars in the USA South this season, and the freshman showcased it on Saturday in her final outing of 2022. The Mount Vernon, Kentucky native kept the Piedmont bats quiet through four innings, but the Lady Lions finally got it going in the bottom of the fifth.
 
REBEKAH STEGMAYER and KAITLIN ISLEY each hit safely with one out to bring up the red-hot KARA TAYLOR. The sophomore needed just one pitch to flip the game on its head as she laced a three-run home run to dead centerfield to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Taylor's homer gave her seven for the season with one in each of her last three games.
 
That momentum shift stayed true into the bottom of the seventh when the Lady Lions looked for a walk-off win. Isley's one-out triple to right centerfield set up back-to-back walks to load the bases for McBrayer. McBrayer delivered and earned herself and the team a 5-4 win as she lofted a sacrifice fly to deep right field to score Isley.
 
The Piedmont win officially clinched the USA South conference West Division regular season title.
 
McBrayer earned another win to improve her record to 13-2.
 
Piedmont honored MARTINA MALOCH, DREW GRAHAM, and REBEKAH STEGMAYER between games as part of the morning's Senior Day festivities.



Game 2 – Piedmont 5, Berea 0
 
After the senior recognition, Piedmont left no doubts in game two as another strong outing from Maloch lifted the Lady Lions to an easy 5-0 win to end the regular season with a 15-1 conference record.
 
Maloch pitched her second shutout in her last four starts on Saturday morning, allowing only three Berea hits over her seven innings in game two. She also added to her team-leading strikeout total with six in the game.
 
The Lady Lions offense helped her out early as they plated one run in the first and another in the second to give their senior starter an early 2-0 advantage.
 
Piedmont blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth as they scored three runs on three hits and took advantage of three Berea errors to take the final 5-0 lead.
 
Taylor once again provided the big hit in the fifth inning as her two-out two RBI single scored Stegmayer and DREW GRAHAM.
 
Maloch finished the job from there and held the shutout intact to improve her record to 11-4.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- KARA TAYLOR's three-run homer in game one was her third in as many games and gave her seven on the year. She finished the doubleheader 4-for-6 at the plate with a homer, a double, and six RBIs.
- MARTINA MALOCH was stout once again, pitching a complete-game shutout in game two while allowing just three hits and striking out six.
 
UP NEXT:
- The Lady Lions are now locked in as one of the No. 1 seeds in the upcoming USA South Tournament and will host the first round next week, beginning Thursday, April 28. The times and opponents for that weekend's bracket will be announced at a later date by the conference office.
 
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.