NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont, 9; Maryville 5
Records: Piedmont, 29-13 (CCS 13-6); Maryville 27-16 (CCS 9-9)
PEARL, Miss.—An early slugfest developed into a Piedmont pitching masterclass in the later innings while the offense utilized another big inning to punch its ticket to the CCS championship game.
The lineup picked up the pitching staff after a rough start and added on in the later innings to put the game away.
Like all season long, the Lions' top three hitters, Cody Funk, Ben Connelly and Cole Ellis, created havoc for the opposing pitcher, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and one in the second.
Drew O'Neill got the start for the Lions, and the hot Maryville lineup got to the freshman early, scoring three runs in the second inning to knock the Piedmont starter out of the game.
Lucas Tritt took the ball out of the bullpen in the third in relief of O'Neill, and the Scots' lineup stayed hot, scoring a pair of runs off Tritt and widening their lead to 5-3. Despite a rough start to the inning, Tritt settled in and got the final two outs to get Piedmont out of the inning.
Both offenses appeared to be primed for a high-scoring afternoon, but the Piedmont pitching got to work quieting the bats of Maryville.
In the fourth, the Lions' top of the lineup did the damage once again as the 9-1-2 batters loaded the bases for Ellis. Ellis struck a ball to center field, scoring a pair and tying the game at five. Piedmont loaded the bases once again for Jack Ryan, who brought home another run on a sacrifice fly, breaking the tie. With two outs and the lineup looking to do more damage, Davin Miller laced a pitch to right field, scoring Ellis and giving the Lions a 7-5 lead.
The Piedmont bullpen stood strong for the remainder of the contest as the staff of Tritt, Ben Homansky, Harris Bryson and Luke Manry combined to shut out the Scots for the remainder of the game.
The lineup alleviated the pressure for the pitching with add-on runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Piedmont has punched its ticket to the CCS championship for the first time since 2023, when the team captured the CCS title in the conference's inaugural year.
The Lions will hold a winning advantage going into Monday, having two chances to win one game.
Next, the Lions await the winner of the contest between Belhaven and Maryville in the final semifinal game. The CCS Championship is set for Monday, May 4, with game one slated for 11 a.m. and, if necessary, a game two at 1 p.m.
Turning Point:
- The Lions' four-run fourth inning that allowed the bullpen to shut out the Scots for the remainder of the contest.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Ellis plated three runs in the contest on four hits.
- The bullpen consisting of Tritt, Homansky, Bryson, and Manry combined for seven innings of shutout baseball.
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.
