DEMOREST, Ga. – The 16^th-ranked Piedmont University's softball team has a repeat on its mind as the top-seeded Lady Lions take aim at a second-straight USA South Tournament title this weekend.
 
Piedmont will play host to the fourth-seeded Wesleyan Wolves on Saturday and Sunday for a three-game championship series. Games one and two are scheduled for Saturday, May 7, at 1:00 & 3:00 p.m. with game three (if necessary) scheduled for Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
 
ROAD TO THE FINALS
The Lady Lions earned the right to host by being the highest-remaining divisional seed after the conclusion of the two four-team first round brackets. Piedmont, the top seed from the west division, defeated Greensboro once and Methodist twice last weekend to win its bracket.
 
Wesleyan took a different route to the championship series as the No. 5 seed in the west division first had to make the eight-team field by winning the play-in game at fourth-seeded Maryville. The Wolves then went to Pfeiffer, the No. 1 seed from the East, and went 3-1 in that bracket to emerge as an unlikely title contender.
 
HEAD-TO-HEAD
These two teams met for a doubleheader early in the conference season in late March, with Piedmont coming out on top 7-2 and 3-0 in the two games. Piedmont leads the all-time series 41-3 and has won 26 of the last 27 meetings.
 
Wesleyan's only victory over Piedmont since 2008 came last season, in a 5-0 victory in Macon in game one of a doubleheader.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Piedmont finished the regular season at 15-1 in USA South conference play, making it one of the clear-cut favorites to win the title. Led by senior centerfielder and conference Player of the Year REBEKAH STEGMAYER, the Lady Lions have 119 stolen bases on the season and constantly make things challenging on opposing defenses.
 
Sophomore KARA TAYLOR, a First Team All-Conference selection, has caught fire down the stretch and has been the catalyst of the Piedmont offense. Having hit safely at least once in 13 of her last 14 games, Taylor's 44 RBIs rank her third in the conference while her seven home runs tie her for fourth.
 
Sophomore EMMA MCBRAYER and senior MARTINA MALOCH make up one of the best 1-2 pitching combos in all of Division III. With just one loss since March 6, these two all-conference pitchers rank fifth or higher in the conference in wins while Maloch is second in the league with a 1.37 ERA.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLVES
Not many folks in the USA South would have predicted the Wolves would make their way to the championship series, but the team from Macon has caught fire at the right time and looks ready to beat anyone they take on. Pitcher Kimmy Dick is the driving force behind this run, but she's not the only one making things happen for the Wolves.
 
Wesleyan has put a lot of pressure on Dick's shoulders in the postseason, and she's delivered so far with a 3-1 record in four straight complete-game efforts. The West Division Second Team selection ranks third in the conference in strikeouts per seven innings (7.35) and fourth in innings pitched (139.0).
 
Third baseman and pitcher Tihana Zupanic has also helped lead the charge with seven hits and five RBIs this postseason. She also earned the win in the winner-take-all game versus Pfeiffer with a complete-game effort in which she allowed just five hits and one unearned run.
 
Outfielder Marilynn Nesmith has also hit safely in each game this postseason. Both Zupanic and Nesmith joined Dick as West Division Second Team selections this season.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Game 1 – Saturday, May 7 – 1:00 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday, May 7 – 3:00 p.m.
Game 3 – Sunday, May 8 – 12:00 p.m. (if necessary)
 
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.