NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 10, Mary Baldwin 5
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 6, No. 25 Salisbury 5

RALEIGH, N.C. - Piedmont softball pushed its winning streak to four games and moved to 4-0 in North Carolina after a pair of wins on Friday in the Diamond Classic in Raleigh.

The Lions began the day with a 10-5 rout of Mary Baldwin before winning a close battle with the 25th ranked Sea Gulls in the late afternoon.

Game 1: Piedmont 10, Mary Baldwin 5

Freshman shortstop Anslee Sauchegraw continued her offensive breakout, launching two home runs and driving in four runs as the Lions survived giving up five run inning to power past the Fighting Squirrels.

The top two spots in the batting order did the bulk of the damage for the Lions, with leadoff hitter Maddi Spieks recording four hits, driving home two runs and scoring three times.

The bottom of the lineup produced as well, with No. 9 hitter Mandi Peretti going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, setting the stage for Spieks and Sauchegraw at the top of the order.

Piedmont scored the first five and the last five runs of the game, responding after allowing Mary Baldwin to tie the the game at 5-5 in a five-run fourth inning. The Lions immediately responded, as Peretti, Spieks and Sauchegraw did the damage with three runs in the fourth before adding two more insurance runs in the fifth to lengthen the lead.

Game 2: Piedmont 6, No. 25 Salisbury 5

Playing as the visiting team in game two of the day, Austin King's double to right center brought home Spieks, who had reached base on a hit by pitch. 

While the Sea Gulls answered back with three runs in the bottom of the first and another run in the fourth, the Lions were undeterred, clawing back late by scoring in each of their final three at bats.

The comeback began with a two-run fifth inning that erased the Salisbury lead.

In the sixth inning, the Lions delivered a two out rally to take the lead as Peretti singled, moved to third on another hit from Spieks, and then came home on a wild pitch to even the game.

Needing some insurance, the Lions scratched across a key insurance run in the top of the seventh, as Valerie Bailey's leadoff single paid off, when pinch runner Addy Perkins scored what turned out to be the decisive run on a fielder's choice.

The Sea Gulls cut the Piedmont lead in half with a one-out home run in the seventh, but the Lions held them at bay, stranding the tying run on base to seal the win.

Up next, Piedmont is scheduled to play two more games tomorrow, starting against Lynchburg in the morning before taking on former USA South foe Methodist in the afternoon.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Maddi Spieks had a perfect day at the plate, going 7-for-7 across the two games.
- Sauchegraw blasted two home runs in the game against Mary Baldwin, giving her a team-high three for the season.
- Peretti tallied four hits on the day, going 3-for-3 against Mary Baldwin.

HOW TO FOLLOW:
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