NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Methodist 7, Piedmont 6
Records: Piedmont, 9-5; Methodist 3-10

DEMOREST, Ga. — The Piedmont baseball team rallied late but came up short against the Methodist Monarchs as they fell 7-6.

Will Schmidt got the ball to start for Piedmont and threw a scoreless first while, on the other side, Methodist starter Bryson Pope recorded a scoreless frame of his own.

Methodist got on the board in the second with a pair of runners scoring on a double down the left field line. The Monarchs made the most of their outs, bringing home another run via a sacrifice bunt. Schmidt held the Monarchs there but exited the inning, surrendering three runs.

The Lions struggled against Pope, putting runners on but never finding the big hit to bring them home.

In the fifth, the Monarchs staged another rally. With two runners on, Methodist once again laid down a bunt, and an errant throw by the Lions allowed two runners to score. The batter reached third after the error. Methodist made the most of their outs, bringing home the runner on third and jumping out to a 6-0 lead.

Piedmont's bats remained stifled through the middle innings until the bottom of the seventh. 

With two runners on, Cole Ellis put the ball in play and brought home a runner, but with two outs, the Lions would need a big hit. Carter Few stood in and delivered, bringing home Cody Funk and getting the Lions' second run on the board. 

The offense turned to the pitching staff to hold the score at 6-2. In the top of the ninth, Methodist once again put runners on, and Piedmont would allow another run to score, giving the Monarchs an important insurance run. 

The Lions brought up the top of the order to start the bottom of the ninth. Funk led off with a double over the right fielder's head, priming the Lions for a big inning. Davin Miller swung next and reached on a throwing error by the second baseman, allowing Funk to come all the way around from second to score. The Lions, sensing the rally, continued their push. Cole Ellis reached on a single, putting two on for Carter Few. Few continued his hot start to the year with a double down the right field line, scoring both Miller and Ellis. With the score now 7-5, Methodist turned to the bullpen. The hit parade continued with a Cruz Mullinix RBI single, bringing the Lions to within one. A walk and an error would set up bases loaded with no one out for Piedmont, and after a strikeout, Justin Shaffer stood in. Shaffer fought off a few pitches before a hard-hit ball on the ground right to the Methodist first baseman. The Monarch defense would turn a 3-6 double play and end the ballgame, slamming the door on the Lions' rally. 

Piedmont ran out of outs late, as the team was unable to complete the weekend sweep.

The Lions will continue their homestand Tuesday, March 10, against Wabash at 6 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
- The error by the Lions in the top of the ninth that allowed the Monarchs to score their final run. 

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES: 
- Averrett Thompson had a solid day for the Lions, allowing just one unearned run to cross over 3.1 innings of work.
- Carter Few came up clutch multiple times in the late innings, collecting three RBIs on two hits including a double.

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.