NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 7, St. Olaf 6
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 9, St. Olaf 1 (F/5)
Records: Piedmont, 12-11 (6-0 CCS); St. Olaf 7-7
DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont University softball team swept the Oles of St. Olaf in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon, Freshman
Madi Cronic walked off Game 1 in the bottom of the seventh inning while the Lions proceeded to run rule the Oles in Game 2.
GAME 1 - Piedmont 7, St. Olaf 6
The Oles struck first against the Lions, forcing across the first run of the contest in the top of the second. Back-to-back singles to start the inning off Piedmont starter
Megan Steinmeyer spelled trouble as a third single pushed across the first run. However, a sac-bunt, fielder's choice and strikeout prevented St. Olaf from adding any more runs in the frame.
Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Lions offense woke up in a big way. Two singles from
Hannah Callaway and
Maddi Spieks followed by a bunt single from
Kaitlin Isley loaded the bases for
Kara Taylor. The senior roped a two RBI single to center to cut the lead to 5-2. Piedmont wasn't done as a safety squeeze from
Jasmine Lowery scored a third run in the inning and put runners on the corners with still only one out. Following a Lowery stolen base, an error from the Oles infield on ground ball to short scored two more as the lead grew to 5-2.
The lead was short lived for the Lions. Responding in the next half inning, St. Olaf added three runs of their own to tie the contest at 5-5 in the sixth. Back at the dish in the seventh, St. Olaf took the lead in the final frame. After back-to-back singles, junior Carly Forester entered in an attempt to keep the game tied. However, a bunt single and a single to center gave the Oles a 6-5 lead. Now with the bases loaded, Forester worked three straight outs without surrendering another run to give the Lions hope in the final frame.
The inning began with Taylor being hit by a pitch and Lowery advanced her to second shortly after with a sac bunt. With the tying run on second, Steinmeyer launched an RBI single to center to tie the game at 6-6.
Alyssa Jarrett followed directly after with a single of her own to put runs on the corners with no one out. Freshman
Madi Cronic took full advantage of the situation, launching the ball to the center field wall, scoring the game winning run as Piedmont walked off St. Olaf for the 7-6 win.
GAME 2 - Piedmont 9, St. Olaf 1 (F/5)
St. Olaf once again opened the scoring, striking in the top of the first. With two on and two away, an Oles RBI single gave them the 1-0 lead.
The Lions found their big inning in the bottom of the third. With runners aboard in the inning, a pair of defensive miscues from St. Olaf scored the first pair of runs for the Lions. Taylor took advantage of the prolonged inning shortly after, knocking in the third run of the inning with an RBI single to center. The defensive woes continued as Piedmont's fourth run scored on a blunder, making it 4-1. To cap off the scoring, Cronic hit an RBI single and one last defensive error by St. Olaf allowed a sixth run to cross home plate.
Piedmont added further insurance in the next half inning, as
Kennedy Votava led off the inning with a single and a stolen base. Spieks laid down a bunt single directly after, putting runners on the corners with no one out. Isley then grounded to third, only for the throw to be off the mark at the plate as Votava scored and Isley reached safely. Taylor then recorded an RBI ground out and Lowery posted an RBI single to third, pushing the Lions into run rule territory with a 9-1 lead.
Reliever
Riley Ford worked a scoreless fifth inning to complete the run rule victory, throwing the final two innings, allowing no runs on two hits. Starter
Taylor Spivey tossed three innings of one-run softball on six hits.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
-- Piedmont stole six bases on the day.
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Maddi Spieks went 2-4 with a run scored in Game 1.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
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Madi Cronic walked off Game 1 with a line short to center field, going 2-3 in the game with the game winning RBI.
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Jasmine Lowery went 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI on the day.
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Kara Taylor went 2-6 with 2 runs and 5 RBI on the day.
UP NEXT:
--Piedmont remains at home and continues conference play with a doubleheader against the Scots of Covenant on Saturday, March 30.
