NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 11, Alma 10 (F/8)
Game 2 Score: Piedmont , Alma
Records: Piedmont, 1-1; Alma, 0-0
DEMOREST, Ga. - Piedmont softball won a back-and-forth thriller in game one and then controlled the game from start-to-finish in game two of a Monday doubleheader sweep of Alma on a sunny afternoon in Demorest.
GAME 1 - Piedmont 11, Alma 10 (F/8)
Thanks to the heroics of Spieks, the Lions were able to prevail in extra innings of a game one thriller to begin the afternoon. The sophomore shortstop drove in four runs over her final two at-bats, with the last coming in the bottom of the eighth to send home
Mandi Peretti and
Kaylee Taylor and give Piedmont the victory.
The Scots were able to strike first, scoring on an infield single to take the game's first lead.
Then, it was back-to-back walks, followed by a hit parade that got things going for Piedmont in the third. After
Kennedy Votava and Spieks drew walks, four consecutive hits from
Jasmine Lowery,
Megan Steinmeyer,
Madi Cronic and
Jordyn Green resulted in five runs for the Lions. Piedmont was not finished, though, as after a double play, freshman
Mandi Peretti drove home the sixth and final run of the inning.
The Scots were able to cut into the Piedmont lead with two runs in the fifth before they exploded for four more in the sixth, capped off by a go-ahead two run homer to make it 7-6 Alma.
Piedmont then responded in the sixth inning as Votava reached on a fielder's choice to tie it at 7-7, followed by the first of Spieks' clutch hits as a sharp single brought home Votava and Peretti to make it 9-7 Lions with three outs to go.
However, the back-and-forth was not done, as the Scots, down to their final out, delivered the game tying base hit.
Playing the international tie breaker rule, the Scots added a run in the eighth, leaving the Lions needing to plate at least one to continue the game. In the first at bat of the inning for Piedmont, Peretti perfectly placed a bunt to put runners at the corners before she quickly stole second to put the winning run in scoring position. Two batters late, the stage was set for Spieks, who delivered again in the clutch to send the Lions home game one winners in walkoff fashion.
GAME 2 - Piedmont 7, Alma 3
In the encore, the Lions left no doubt, never trailing in a 7-3 win behind a complete game from sophomore starting pitcher
Taylor Spivey.
Piedmont opened with a three-run first inning and then added three more in the fourth and another in the fifth to separate from the Scots.
Spieks had three more hits in game two, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Alyssa Jarrett earned the start behind the plate, driving in a team high three runs.
After Spieks laced a triple to right center to lead off the bottom of the first, the Lions took advantage of a hit by pitch and three walks around an RBI single from
Madi Cronic to jump ahead 3-0 after one.
Alma responded with three runs on five base hits to tie the score at 3-3 after Spivey had cruised through the first two.
It did not take the Lions long to reestablish control, as a perfectly placed bunt single by Steinmeyer and a two RBI single by Jarrett pushed the Piedmont lead to 6-3.
From the fourth inning on, Spivey allowed just one hit and one walk, settling in to earn the win as the Lions tacked on an insurance run in the fifth to build a bigger cushion.
Having played all four games of the 2025 season so far at home with a 10-day break between DH's, the Lions now start to see the challenge of their 2025 schedule as they head down to Columbus, Georgia to take part in the NFCA Leadoff Classic starting off with a 3:00 pm first pitch against University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Friday, February 28.
TURNING POINT:
- In Game One, it was two clutch hits by Spieks with the Lions' backs against the wall that turned the tide, capped off by the two RBI walkoff single in the eighth.
- Game Two saw the Lions take a 6-3 lead with a three-run bottom of the fourth, highlighted by
Alyssa Jarrett's two RBI single to right field.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Over the two games,
Maddi Spieks went 5-for-7 with five RBI, two runs scored and a triple while walking off game one in the eighth inning.
-
Taylor Spivey earned her first win of the season, throwing a complete game while allowing just three earned runs and striking out four.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
NEWS AND NOTES:
-These two faced off twice before in single-game, neutral site tournament action but had not played a doubleheader yet in the series. Piedmont was victorious in both match-ups winning 11-6 in 2022's contest in Raleigh and 8-4 in 2020 in Arizona.
UP NEXT:
- This weekend's ever challenging field at the NFCA Leadoff Classic held in Columbus, Ga. where Piedmont will face six opponents over three days of competition including a showdown with #22 University of Redlands on Sunday.
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.
