NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 13, Oglethorpe 5
Records: Piedmont, 4-3; Oglethorpe, 5-4
DEMOREST, Ga. - On a night that saw Piedmont roll through seven pitchers, the offense was explosive with 13 runs in a 13-5 win over Oglethorpe. This marks the third straight game for Piedmont to score in double digits with 35 runs in the last three games combined.
It took 35 minutes to get through the first inning after seven combined runs as Oglethorpe plated two in the top of the frame. The Piedmont offense picked up where it left off over the weekend however with five in the home half.
There were just two hits for the Lions in the first inning but with the bases loaded,
Mac Barton smashed one to right field for a grand slam, the first home run of the season for the Lions.
Freshman
Tyner Simpson earned the start and got settled in during the second inning going two innings and allowing three hits and three walks while striking out two.
Nathan Boyce entered in the third where the Stormy Petrels managed another pair of runs to cut into the lead 5-4. Piedmont answered in the bottom half as
Owen Helgesen hit an RBI single but Piedmont left the bases loaded after advancing the score to 6-4.
Tyler Roon took over in the fourth on the mound and worked a clean inning before loading the bases in the top of the fifth and giving way to
Bodie Eilertson. Eilertson entered with no outs but got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts to end the frame.
The Lions went to
Lucas Tritt in the sixth inning with two on and no outs and the Stormy Petrels tacked on one, added to Eilertson's outing, but Piedmont escaped clinging to a one run lead, 6-5.
In the bottom of the sixth, Piedmont added two as
Nathan Mix was hit, moved to second on a balk and scored on a stolen base combined with an error. The Lions led 8-5 and added another two in the seventh to make it 10-5.
Piedmont added five runs over the final three innings with three in the eighth. The Lions used a total of seven pitchers in the contest with
Jackson Randolph earning the win. Randolph pitched a clean seventh and eighth inning with three strikeouts and surrendered just a single hit.
Up next, Piedmont will head to Kodak, Tennessee for a weekend of tournament action taking on Mary Washington on Friday at 12 p.m.
TURNING POINT:
--A grand slam in the first inning proved to be the difference in this one as
Mac Barton put the game away early.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--
Mac Barton hit the first home run of the season for the Lions with a grand slam in the bottom of the first.
--
Trace Cate ended the game going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored.
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Jackson Randolph earned his first collegiate win pitching two innings in the game and allowing just one hit.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
--Piedmont has now increased its run total in each contest of the season.
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.
