(MARYVILLE, Tenn.) – The Piedmont University baseball team dropped its CCS Opening Round contest to the Panthers of LaGrange by a score of 4-2. The Lions led for the majority of the game before LaGrange rallied for four runs in the later innings.
It was Piedmont to strike first in the contest, scoring in the home half of the first inning. After a 1-2-3 inning from starter Zeke Swartz, Trace Cate laced a two-out single through the left side before scoring one batter later on an Isaac Mullanack double down the left field line.
After working out of trouble in the second, Swartz stranded a lead-off triple at third with three big strikeouts in the top of the fourth to continue to hold the Panthers scoreless. Swartz finished the game with a career-high 10 strikeouts while going five innings, allowing just five four and being charged with one earned run.
The Lions added another run in the bottom of the second off a Cole Ellis RBI single to center to make it 2-0.
LaGrange finally chased Swartz from the contest in the top of the sixth with a lead off double to left. Turning to the bullpen, Piedmont reliever Peyton Irvin limited the damage to just one run. However, Irvin worked into trouble in the top of the seventh and after a call to the bullpen and a pair of Piedmont mistakes, the Panthers took a 4-2 lead.
The Lions mustered just one hit for the remainder of the contest before falling 4-2.
