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Score: Piedmont 8, George Fox 7 (F/10)
Records: Piedmont, 5-2; George Fox, 3-3
DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont College baseball team continued the magic on Saturday night by taking an 8-7 thriller in 10 innings over George Fox at Loudermilk Field.
Down to its final strike with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, CAMERON JOHNSONerased an 8-7 deficit to force the game to extra innings. After a scoreless top of the 10th from MATT VONDERSCHMIDT, TYLER BURDETTE legged out an infield single as ANDREW BURDEN raced home from second base to keep the Lions (5-2) undefeated at home on the season.
Piedmont jumped on the board in the first inning by manufacturing a run after TYLER SHELEY drew a walk to lead off the game, was bunted over to second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by the pitcher.
The Bruins responded by taking the lead with single runs in the second and fourth innings. However, Piedmont answered back immediately as NOAH HEATHERLY's RBI single brought home Burden.
PC retook the lead with a three-run fifth inning on a rally that started with two outs and nobody on base. The Lions recorded five straight hits starting with BRADY BALLSTADT's two-out single. Burdette gave PC a two-run lead with a two-run scoring single before Heatherly capped off the scoring with an RBI double.
George Fox continued the back-and-forth with a four-run top of the sixth that chased Piedmont starting pitcher SAM CARPENTER from the contest, but the Lions were able to knot the score at six apiece as WES SNYDER pinch-ran after Heatherly's second double of the game and scored on a pair of George Fox errors.
A leadoff walk came back to haunt the Lions in the top of the eighth as an RBI double gave George Fox a one-run lead until Johnson delivered in the clutch to send the game to extras.
With two outs and no one aboard in the 10th, Burden's perfectly placed double just fell in for a hit, setting the table for Burdette to deliver PC's first walk-off win of the season.
Turning Point
-- With Burden on second base in a tie game in the 10th, Burdette's grounder forced the Bruins shortstop a few steps to his left. The senior second baseman was able to use his speed to beat the throw to first as Burden never broke stride rounding third, allowing him to just beat the throw to the plate and send the Lions home victorious.
Standout Performances
-- Catcher NOAH HEATHERLY broke out in a big way, recording three hits, two doubles and two RBI.
-- ANDREW BURDEN reached base five times, scored three runs, including the game-winner and stole two bases.
-- TYLER BURDETTE added two hits, including the walk-off game-winner, to go with three RBI.
-- MATT VONDERSCHMIDT earned the win after throwing 3.0 innings in relief, punching out five Bruins.
Inside the Box Score
- The Lions outhit the Bruins, 15-11, and played the game error-free, while George Fox totaled three errors.
News & Notes
-- The Lions have now won seven straight one-run games at Loudermilk Field.
Up Next
-- Piedmont concludes play in the Piedmont Early Spring Classic tomorrow at 12 p.m. Due to rain in the forecast, tomorrow's game will be played at LakePoint Sporting Community in Emerson, Georgia.
February 16, 2019
Lions Walk Off in the 10th to Remain Unbeaten at Home
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George Fox
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Piedmont
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Final (10) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Fox (3-3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 3 |
Piedmont (5-2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 0 |