NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 7, Oglethorpe 5
Records: Piedmont, 4-3; Oglethorpe 1-3

BROOKHAVEN, Ga. - The Piedmont baseball team picked up its fourth win of the season off the back of their late offensive surge.

The Lions looked to piece together their pitching in this midweek contest as they started Ben Homansky, who went two innings, allowing a pair of runs.

The lineup would tie the game with runs in both the second and third, and then both sides would go quiet as the bullpens took over.

Piedmont got great work out of the pen from junior Averrett Thompson, who is having a fantastic start to the season. Thompson went three strong innings with three strikeouts and allowed no runs to come across. Thompson has allowed just four runs across 9.2 innings of work for the Lions this season with seven strikeouts.

It was a stalemate through the middle innings with Piedmont fending off the Stormy Petrels, who left a total of ten runners on base thanks to Lions' pitching.

It would be the seventh inning before runs would touch the board again. Justin Shaffer started the rally, followed by an Oglethorpe error that put two on for Cody Funk. Funk drilled a ball to center field, bringing home both runners and breaking the tie and giving the Lions the lead. Piedmont would bring home more insurance on yet another Oglethorpe error, making it a 5-2 ballgame. 

The Stormy Petrels would answer in the bottom half with a two-run bomb off the bat of Ryan Causey. Harris Bryson would get out of the inning, holding the Stormy Petrels to just a pair. 

In a 5-4 game, Piedmont would need insurance going into the eighth. With two outs already in the inning, the Lions needed a rally, and it started with a walk to Jack Ryan and an infield single by Justin Shaffer, once again setting the table for Cody Funk. Funk would once again drive the ball up the middle and bring home a pair, giving the Lions more insurance and a 7-4 lead.

The Stormy Petrels would score one run in the bottom of the eighth, but the combination of Lucas Tritt and Luke Manry shut down the Oglethorpe lineup and locked up a 7-5 Lions win.

It was one of the more complete wins for the Lions on the season as the offense and pitching clicked at the right moments, bringing a mid-week win.

Piedmont will get set for a weekend in Winchester, Va., to face off against three opponents, starting with the Shenandoah Hornets on Friday, Feb. 27th, with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m.


STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Cody Funk delivered the Lions' offense for the evening with four RBIs that pushed the Lions over the top.
- Averett Thompson carried the bulk of the ballgame for the Lions, continuing a solid early season out of the bullpen.

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.