NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 6, Covenant 5 F/10
Records: Piedmont, 17-11 (5-2 CCS); Covenant, 12-18 (5-5 CCS)
DEMOREST, Ga. - In a roller coaster of a game, the Piedmont baseball team emerged victorious with a walk-off win over Covenant 6-5 in the tenth inning.
Braden Simms entered to close out the contest earning the win allowing just one hit to the seven batters he faced.
After a slow start on the hill,
Zeke Swartz settled in giving up just one run on three hits and struck out seven. In the first inning, Covenant left two in scoring position, but they were the first on the board putting up a run in the third inning off a pair of hits.
Swartz pitched six innings allowing just three hits, one run, one walk and struck out seven batters. He did not allow a batter to reach after the third inning working a 1-2-3 in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Piedmont was able to get momentum offensively in the sixth inning with two runs on three hits to claim the lead.
Trace Cate singled to start the frame and was driven in on an
Isaak Mullanack double.
That RBI double tied the game and Mullanack was later driven in as the go-ahead run on a
Kyle Carlson single.
With the lead secured,
Tyner Simpson entered to start the seventh inning and worked a 1-2-3 frame of his own. Piedmont's offense was right back to work in the bottom half of the inning with two runs on two hits and an error.
Cole Ellis singled and advanced to third on an error that allowed
Spencer Muffuletto to reach.
Trace Cate hit a 2-RBI double to drive them in and increase the lead to 4-1.
Simpson got into hot water in the eighth and gave way to
Jackson Randolph after surrendering a run with no outs and two aboard. Piedmont was clinging to the lead, but the Scots were able to tack on three runs in the frame to tie the contest and force Randolph from the game.
Randolph gave way after just 0.2 innings facing five batters and walking a pair.
Justin Manus entered with two outs and the bases juiced and a line drive to left scored the go-ahead run, but Piedmont was not out of it.
In the bottom of the eighth, a
Kyle Carlson double was lost to the lights, dropping like a gift for the Lions to start the inning. He later scored on a
Kolton Hicks single that escaped the infield to tie the contest yet again.
In the ninth, neither team could manage much as Simms worked a 1-2-3 inning while Piedmont stranded one. Simms allowed a single to lead off the 10th inning but stranded the runner at second after a sac bunt, strikeout and ground out to first.
The Lions capitalized in the home half after back-to-back hit by pitches to have two aboard with no outs for
Mac Barton. Barton reached on an error by the pitcher on an attempted sac bunt that was fielded and skied past first and the Lions secured the victory.
Up next, the Lions conclude the CCS series with Covenant on Saturday with a doubleheader at 2 & 6.
TURNING POINT:
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Mac Barton was attempting a sacrifice bunt on what would be the final play of the game as an E1 ended the contest allowing the Lions to take the walk-off victory.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
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Zeke Swartz was impressive through six innings of work allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out seven batters.
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Braden Simms earned his first win of the season pitching the final two innings of the game with just one hit allowed.
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Kyle Carlson and
Cole Ellis both accounted for three hits while
Trace Cate led the team with two RBI.
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.
