NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 2, Maryville 6
Score: Piedmont 8, Huntingdon 5
Record: Piedmont, 25-17

LaGRANGE, Ga. - The Piedmont University baseball team escaped with a split Sunday to survive and advance to the CCS Championship Monday against Maryville. The Lions dropped the opener Sunday 6-2 to Maryville but won 8-5 over Huntingdon in an elimination contest. 

Game one: Piedmont 2, Maryville 6

The Lions were the first to strike as the visitors in the top of the first. COLE ELLIS singled and stole second then was driven in by KYLE CARLSON for a 1-0 lead. The Scots were quick to answer though in the home half and tied it up. 

It was scoreless then until the fourth inning when Maryville had a leadoff home run by Will Hubbell to take the lead. The Scots would add four total runs in the inning off four hits and two errors. 

BODIE EILERTSON was chased from the game in the fourth despite giving up just one earned run in his 3.2 innings pitched. TYLER ROON entered in relief and closed out the final 4.1 innings of work. 

The Scots threatened again in the sixth and added to their total to lead 6-1, but the Lions continued to battle. Piedmont scored one run on one hit in the eighth inning but stranded two and again left two aboard in the ninth. 

Game two: Piedmont 8, Huntingdon 5

Piedmont fell behind 1-0, this time as the home team, as the Hawks scored on a sac fly in the first inning. Piedmont was quick to answer with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead and never surrendered it. 

KOLTON HICKS got ahold of one and sent a shot to left field for a solo home run as the second batter in the order. TRACE CATE hit an RBI single and CARSON STROVINSKAS doubled to drive in the two additional runs. 

Leading 4-1, the Hawks added one in the third before Piedmont got back to business. KYLE CARLSON drove in COLE ELLIS in the fifth and three runs scored in the sixth off three hits and an error as Piedmont led 8-2 heading to the seventh. 

BRADEN SIMMS earned his first start of the season going six innings and earning his first win of the year. Simms started the seventh but gave up a pair of hits and turned it over to NATHAN BOYCE. 

Boyce pitched a total of an inning allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks before CARTER BALLSTADT entered on the mound. Ballstadt took the mound for the first time since March 5th with the tying run at the plate and no outs in the eighth. 

Ballstadt got a strikeout, a flyout and a ground out to end the eighth and worked a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to earn his third save of the season. 

Up next, Piedmont faces Maryville in the CCS Championship Monday at 2 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
--Piedmont was unable to limit the damage in the fourth inning with four hits and two errors resulting in four runs for the Scots. 
--The Lions used their own big inning in the bottom of the first against Huntingdon to set the tone and establish a lead with four runs. 

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--TYLER ROON entered in relief on the mound and kept the Scots limited to one run and six hits over his 4.1 innings of work. 
--Both KYLE CARLSON and CARSON STROVINSKAS were 2-for-3 in game two with a run scored and two RBI. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: 
--Piedmont totaled 13 hits against Huntingdon after just nine combined in the previous two contests. 

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.