NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 8, Swarthmore 6
Records: Piedmont, 6-0; Swarthmore, 1-2

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - The Piedmont University baseball team won Sunday to improve to 6-0 this season with an 8-6 win over Swarthmore. Despite trailing early, the Lions clawed back and earned the victory behind another save from reliever Braden Simms. 

Simms now has four saves through six games this season after pitching the final 2.1 innings of Sunday's contest allowing just one hit and struck out five batters. 

Piedmont trailed quickly with the Garnet able to plate a run in the second and tack on two more in the third. Adam Metivier surrendered those three runs, but the offense was able to alleviate some pressure in the bottom of the third. 

After back-to-back fly outs to start the frame, Piedmont used a two-out rally sending a total of 10 batters to the plate in the third. With the bases loaded after a walk, single and another walk, Trace Cate fouled off multiple pitches to keep his at bat alive and took an outside pitch for a walk to send in the first run of the game.

That set the table for Jack Ryan who delivered with a bases-clearing double to give the Lions the lead, 4-3. Piedmont sent out Peyton Irvin in the fourth, but the Garnet were still hot offensively scoring another two runs on three hits after a pair of extra base hits. 

That put Piedmont behind once more, trailing 5-4, but the Lions were able to string together two hits in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up at 5-5. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Piedmont offense went back to work with back-to-back doubles from Jack Gilsenan and Cole Ellis to drive in the go-ahead run quickly. The Lions added three runs on three hits in the inning to lead 8-5. 

Piedmont used a total of four relief pitchers before Simms saw the mound as Harris Bryson, Jackson Randolph and Averett Thompson did not allow an earned run in the 2.1 combined innings they pitched. 

Thompson was in a jam in the seventh with the bases loaded when Simms was called upon and he earned a strikeout to leave them loaded heading to the stretch. Despite a walk in the eighth and a hit in the ninth, Simms did not allow the Garnet an opportunity to threaten again with five strikeouts to the eight batters he faced. 

Up next, the Lions will open the season at home inside the Milkjug against Hanover on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
- Piedmont used a pair of explosive offensive innings to stay in the game but it was timely outs from the pitching staff that helped secure this one. Swarthmore stranded 13 batters with all of those coming in the 1-5 spots in the lineup. 

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Jack Ryan had a pair of doubles in the game including the bases-clearing double that gave Piedmont its first lead. 
- Cole Ellis and Carter Few both added a pair of hits as well.
- Braden Simms pitched the final 2.1 innings of the game to earn his fourth save of the season and has not allowed an earned run this year. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Simms led all of NCAA Division III last year with 12 saves and now has four through the first six games of the season for the Lions. 
- A total of 14 combined pitchers were used in the contest. 

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.