Senior Spotlight: Baseball

2025 Baseball Senior Spotlight

This group has been with Piedmont for various lengths of time but over the course of the last six years, they have been significant contributors for the Lions. They have totaled 93 wins over four seasons including 39 in conference play and 46 at home at the Jug. The group helped the Lions to the inaugural CCS Championship in 2023 at LaGrange with a 3-2 win over Maryville. This season, Piedmont posts a 24-12 record. 

Kyle is a four-year member of the team having started 159 games in his career, starting all but three contests over his time in Demorest. Carlson’s contributions both in the field and at the plate made him a threat as he earned ABCA Region All-Defensive Team honors in 2024 after just five errors over 40 games. He was a CCS All-Tournament Team member in 2023 during the Lions’ championship run as he totaled seven hits and three RBI in the CCS tournament. This season, he had a career-best six RBI at Covenant thanks to a pair of home runs helping the Lions earn a series sweep. He earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2024 and Kyle plans to graduate with a degree in business management in the summer. 

While he has only been with the Lions for three seasons, Cate made them memorable starting all but one contest over his time in the Green and Gold and appearing in every game. He has totaled eight home runs in his career with five this season and a career batting average of .325. His best season came a year ago when he posted a .374 batting average to lead the Lions with 65 hits, 13 doubles, 39 RBI and 30 runs scored. He had no errors through 42 starts and 128 putouts earning an NCAA Division III ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. He also earned ABCA/Rawlings All-Region honors and ABCA Region All-Defensive Team honors while being named CCS First Team All-Conference. Trace plans to graduate with a degree in accounting in May. 

Bodie is a four-year starter for the Lions on the mound and has totaled over 190 innings for the Lions in his career. Eilertson’s most dominant season came in 2023 when he posted a team-low ERA with a 2.67 across 11 appearances with a 7-2 record. For his efforts, he was named to the 2023 CCS First Team All-Conference listing. This season, Bodie posts a 5-2 record across 10 starts with one of his best outings coming against Asbury. He pitched six innings allowing just one run while striking out five as the Lions cruised to a 12-1 win in seven innings. He posted a career-high nine strikeouts twice in his career, most recently last season against Wooster. Bodie plans to graduate in May with a degree in business management.

Cole has started 111 games in his career with over 150 hits and 106 runs scored. He posts a career batting average of .349 after an impressive sophomore campaign in 2023 with a .378 batting average and 59 hits. That was a team-high batting average among everyday starters that season and he led the team with his 59 hits. He posted a hit in all but five of 37 games played that season. He was a CCS Second Team All-Conference selection for his contributions in 2023. In 2024, he struck out just nine times across 124 at bats and this season has just 11 in 116 at bats. He is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and Cole plans to graduate in May with a degree in accounting and management.

Jack has seen action in 64 contests across his five seasons in Demorest. He has totaled 20 hits as a primary pinch hitter or defensive replacement. This season, he has earned 14 of his 23 career starts. He has 15 RBI for his career and 18 runs scored including seven this season. In Kannapolis earlier this season, Gilsenan posted a solid weekend with five runs scored as Piedmont went 3-0 against Pfeiffer, Susquehanna and Swarthmore. He has been walked nine times this season including five in those three contests. He is a three-time conference all-academic team member and Jack plans to graduate with his MBA in July. 

Peyton has been with the team since the 2020 season and has totaled five playing seasons in the Green and Gold. In 2020, Irvin earned USA South Rookie of the Week honors and followed that up with an appearance on the USA South West Division Second Team All-Conference listing a year later. He has 52 appearances on the mound with 43 starts as he has 20 wins to his credit. He has thrown over 275 innings for the Lions over his career with a 3.68 career ERA. He has six outings this season without allowing an earned run including a 7.2 inning start at Huntingdon last weekend earning the win and CCS Pitcher of the Week. Peyton plans to graduate with his Master of Business Administration in May. 

Adam is a three-year starter for the Lions after transferring in as a sophomore. Over three seasons, Metivier has started 29 contests and earned 13 wins on the mound. He has pitched over 150 innings with a career-high 73 coming in 2024 with his lowest ERA of 3.70. He is a two-time CCS Pitcher of the Week honoree after earning it twice last season. Metivier pitched a key eighth inning in the CCS Tournament Championship against Maryville in 2023 allowing just one baserunner to the four batters he faced en route to the Lions’ championship victory. Adam plans to graduate in May with a degree in business management.

Tyler is a four-year starter for the Lions having started 118 games for the Green and Gold. He has committed just 12 errors across 721 put outs and earned ABCA Region All-Defensive Team honors in 2023 after having an error-free season behind the plate. In perhaps one of his most impressive feats, Nelson was behind the plate at catcher for the entirety of Piedmont’s championship run in 2023. He served as catcher for the five contests the Lions had in the CCS tournament and did not make an error. A two-time CSC Academic All-District selection, Tyler plans to graduate in May with a degree in business management. 

Jackson is a four-year member of the team contributing in many way throughout his career before becoming a primary reliever on the mound. Randolph started his career with the Lions as a catcher and outfielder with 51 games played across his four seasons. He posts a .321 career batting average with plate appearances in his first three seasons before making 25 appearances on the mound across 2024 and 2025. He has four wins to his credit with a 3.19 ERA across 31 innings of relief work. He has totaled 41 strikeouts including a career-best six at Methodist this season. A two-time CCS All-Academic Team member, Jackson plans to graduate with a degree in exercise science and a master’s in athletic training in 2026. 

Braden Simms has been synonymous with Piedmont closer for the past two years as he transitioned from a starter to a closer across his four-year career with the Lions. Simms was the NCAA Division III Statistical National Champion in saves with 12 in 2024 and posts eight this season. Earlier this year, Simms became the Piedmont leader all-time in saves as he now has 25. He was a CCS All-Conference First Team honoree last season and an ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Second Team honoree as well. He posted a 3.15 ERA across 18 appearances in 2024 and has a 1.74 ERA this year across 14. He has eight wins in his career across 59 appearances including 11 starts. He has totaled 117 strikeouts in his career with a career-high six three times in his freshman campaign as a starter. Braden plans to graduate in December with a degree in criminal justice. 

Zeke is a four-year starter for the Lions posting an 18-5 record across 40 starts. He has continually improved across his career with a 2.76 ERA last year and a 1.89 ERA in 2025. He has pitched over 220 innings for the Lions with over 250 strikeouts in his career. In 2024, he was a CCS All-Conference First Team honoree, an ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Second Team honoree and a D3baseball.com All-Region First Team selection. Swartz is a four-time CCS Pitcher of the Week including twice this season after a complete game win over LaGrange and a career-high 13 strikeouts in a shutout of then #25 Emory. He also earned D3baseball.com Team of the Week honors for the win over Emory. He was a CCS All-Tournament Team member in 2023 earning two wins in the conference tournament including the championship game over Maryville on short rest. Zeke plans to graduate in May with a degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing.