NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 2, Mary Washington 1
Records: Piedmont, 5-3; Mary Washington 7-1

KODAK, Tenn. - Thanks to an impressive outing from starting pitcher Zeke Swartz, the Piedmont University baseball team earned a 2-1 win over Mary Washington Saturday. The win marked the fifth straight for the Lions while handing Mary Washington its first loss of the season. 

Swartz pitched 6.1 innings allowing the one run with just one hit as well. The junior pitcher also struck out nine batters as he leads Piedmont with 22 strikeouts through three starts. 

Swartz struck out six batters through the first two innings, though the Eagles loaded the bases in the second. Piedmont was also slow offensively with just one hit in each of the first five innings. 

Kyle Carlson's double in the third inning though put the Lions ahead after Kolton Hicks was walked to start the frame. It would remain 1-0 until the seventh inning when Swartz was relieved by Jackson Randolph with a runner on second. 

A pair of singles late in the inning would bring the tying run around to score, but a play at the plate kept it from being a two-run inning for the Eagles. Schuylar Willis gunned down the go-ahead run to keep it knotted at one. 

In the bottom of the seventh, back-to-back singles to start the inning from Cole Ellis and Hicks put runners on the corners for Trace Cate who singled to drive in Ellis for the game winning run. 

Jackson Randolph earned the win finishing the seventh inning while Justin Manus pitched a clean eighth giving up just one hit. Brayden Simms, Piedmont's closer, stepped in for the ninth and despite walking a pair of batters, did not give up a hit and earned the save for his second of the season. 

Up next, Piedmont will have a pair of contests Sunday taking on North Carolina Wesleyan and Ferrum. 

TURNING POINT:
--Mary Washington tied the game in the top of the seventh but Piedmont answered back as Trace Cate hit an RBI single to drive in Cole Ellis for the game winning run. 

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--The heart of the order (3-5) for Piedmont went 2-for-4 at the plate as Cate, Carlson and Tyler Nelson combined for six of Piedmont's nine hits. 
--Jackson Randolph earned his second collegiate win, coming in back-to-back games. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
--This tied Piedmont's lowest run total of the season from opening night in a loss to Chapman. 

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.