Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College baseball team dropped the first game of a doubleheader earlier today at Loudermilk Field, but came back to take the encore decision against Emory University as the two wrapped up their Peach State series.  The Eagles took game one 9-3 jumping on the Lions early before the Lions were able to come back with their own offensive performance in game two to take a high-scoring 14-9 decision splitting the pair of home games against EU.

In game one, the Eagles soared early scoring four in the top of the first to control the pace from the very start against young pitcher Preston Graham of PC.  After the leadoff batter tripled, a Hannon single scored the first of four runs as the remaining three came on a three-run homer that gave Emory a 4-0 lead to start. 

The Lions got a run back in both the bottom of the first and second innings as Breck Davidson picked up a sac fly followed up by a RBI single from Casey Parham in the following frame.  However two more runs from Emory in the top of the third pushed their lead back up to four as the Eagles would add three more in the 7th for insurance taking game one 9-3.

Getting the loss on the mound was Graham as he went five innings allowing six hits though six runs came off that production as the youngster struck out four and walked a quartet as well.  The win went to Hansen on the mound for Emory as he moved to 2-0 while Graham dropped to 1-1 in 2014.

Game two saw Piedmont go out in front first with two single run innings to start though Emory would start a see-saw affair with two runs in the third to take the lead for the first time in the third and final game of the series.

Down a run, PC would tie it up in the 4th on an RBI from Will Skidmore who helped catcher Austin Brick come home to nod the score at four.  After three innings of just one run each to show for 6 hits combined, Piedmont decided it was time to let the bats fly in the 5th and 6th innings when the Lions tallied eight combined runs in those two innings.  Highlighting that explosion was a two-out Griffin Olson single in a five-run Piedmont 6th that scored two Lions to give PC an 11-8 lead.

After that, PC's Josh Thomas would have all he needed to go two and a third of one-run baseball that put him in line for the win after PC's explosive five-run 6th.  Thomas picked up the W with just three hits allowed as Piedmont went on to claim a 14-9 victory in game two of the doubleheader avoiding the sweep in the three-game series with their Georgia rivals.

Offensively, Evan Gresham led the way with his two for three, three run, three RBI performance in game two as he is tied for the lead in RBIs in the USA South and also leads the league with his .529 batting average.  Gresham hit .444 in the series against Emory scoring five times while picking up four RBIs and drawing five walks as he is becoming the most feared hitter in all the league and a possible candidate for USA South Player of the Year though a lot of baseball remains to be played in 2014.

The Lions will have their hands full in their next outing as they travel to Birmingham, Alabama for a neutral site match-up with the nation's 12th ranked team in Millsaps College.  All the Majors did in 2013 was go 38-14, win the NCAA South Regional, and earn a trip to the College World Series in Appleton.

Millsaps and Piedmont played perhaps one of the most memorable games in the history of Loudermilk Field as the Lions took a 2-1 decision in 14 innings where the two teams combined to leave 31 runners on base in a gut-wrenching extra inning affair that came during Piedmont's own run to a NCAA Regional in 2011.

Start time with the Majors this coming Friday, February 21st is set for 7:00 pm at Birmingham Southern College who is hosting the Lions for a three-game round robin.  The Lions also play North Park University on Saturday and the hosting Panthers on Sunday.