NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 2, Berry 7
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 2, Berry 8
Records: Piedmont, 16-17 (10-4 CCS); Berry, 35-3

DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont University softball team dropped its non-conference doubleheader to #5 Berry late Thursday night. The contest was delayed for multiple hours before Game 1 got under way. 

GAME 1 - Piedmont 2, Berry 7

The Vikings opened the contest with the first run of the game in the top of the first. A pair of singles and walk loaded the bases for Berry with just one out. Piedmont starter Megan Steinmeyer traded an out for a run before striking out the next batter and limiting the damage to just one run.

Steinmeyer ran into trouble again in the top of the third, surrendering three singles to start the inning as the Vikings pushed across a second run. Then, with two outs, a bases-clearing double pushed the lead to 4-0. 

The Lions responded in the bottom of the third, scoring a pair. Senior Hannah Callaway led off the inning with a single before stealing second and scoring one batter later on a single from sophomore Kennedy Votava and a defensive mistake from the Vikings. Senior Kaitlin Isley tacked on the second run later in the inning with a two-out RBI triple. 

Berry got the runs back immediately in the top of the fourth and added an extra run in the fifth, pushing the lead to 7-2. The Piedmont offense remained unable to claw back into the game and the score held for the Vikings as they claimed the win.

GAME 2 - Piedmont 2, Berry 8

Berry once again started the scoring as a solo blast put them on top 1-0 early in Game 2. 

Struggling on the offensive end, Piedmont remained hit-less through the first three frames.

In the top of the fourth, the Vikings offense took advantage of a pair of Piedmont mistakes as they looked to run away with the contest. Scoring four runs in the inning on just three hits, Berry pushed the lead to 5-0 without the Lions giving up an earned run in the inning.

Maddi Spieks got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on an inside-the-park home run. The freshman laced a ball over the center fielder's head, who was playing shallow, and scored well ahead of the throw to the plate.

Piedmont went on to pull within three in the bottom of the fifth with a Jordyn Green RBI single but three Berry runs late put the contest out of reach and the Lions dropped the contest 8-2.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
--Piedmont struggled against the stout Berry pitching staff, striking out 18 times on the day.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Kennedy Votava went 3-5 with 2 stolen bases, a run and a walk in the doubleheader.
--Hannah Callaway went 2-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Game 1.

UP NEXT:
--Piedmont wraps up regular season play with one final CCS series against Maryville on Saturday, April 20. 

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