Covenant College Athletics recently issued the following announcement.
DEMOREST, Ga. – The Covenant baseball team produced a doubleheader sweep over the Lions on Saturday afternoon, marking the first series win at Piedmont in program history.
Coupled with Friday's win, the sweep also marks the first series win over the Lions since 2016.
Covenant tallied 13 hits in game one and 10 in game two, marking their 15th and 16th contests with double-digit hits this season. The wins improve the Scots to 5-7 in conference play (13-15 overall).
GAME ONE: Covenant 9, Piedmont 8
The Scots scored five in the third and held off a comeback attempt from the host Lions to take game one, 9-8.
Covenant used two hits, including a two-RBI double from McKaleb Harlemon, to earn a 3-1 lead after two innings of play.
The bats then came alive in the top of the third, as Covenant would record five hits and take a seven-run lead (8-1).
The bases were quickly loaded thanks to singles from Josh Harvey and Ken Burke, followed by a Piedmont error which placed Harlemon on base. Joseph Ridenour then singled, scoring two and making it 5-1. He was followed by Tyler Cox, who also singled and extended the lead to five (6-1).
The bases were then loaded once again after Harrison Adelgren was walked, bringing up Zeke Gilbert who recorded a two-RBI single and gave Covenant the 8-1 lead.
But, the Lions were not to go quietly, as they responded with four runs over their next three times at bat, making it 8-5 after five innings of play. Piedmont tallied five total hits during their rally, including a two-RBI double from Brayden Brooks in the fifth.
Covenant tacked on another run in the top of the sixth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Cox (9-5). But, three more runs came across the plate for the Lions in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Scots' lead to one (9-8).
A bases-loaded single from Kyle Carlson and a sacrifice fly from Jackson Randolph helped score the three runs.
After six innings of back-and-forth action, though, both squads were unable to score over the final three innings, sealing the one-run victory for the Scots (9-8).
Every Covenant batter recorded at least one hit. Harlemon led the way, going 3-for-6 with two RBIs, while Cox went 2-of-4 with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs.
Starting pitcher Zach Tolleson (1-1) earned the win, recording four strikeouts, five walks, and four earned runs in five innings pitched. Austin Clark picked up his second save of the season, pitching four innings and striking out four.
Carlson finished 3-of-5 with two RBIs, while Randolf went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Piedmont starting pitcher Jake Garner (1-1) picked up the loss after allowing five earned runs and seven hits in 2.2 innings pitched.
GAME TWO: Covenant 8, Piedmont 5
Covenant used another high scoring inning, scoring four in the fourth, to help gain the game two victory over Piedmont, 8-5.
The Scots held a 5-0 lead after four innings of play, as Covenant pitcher Judah O'Neal only allowed the Lions two hits through the first four innings.
A sacrifice fly from Adelgren scored the Scots' first run of the day in the second (1-0). They would then add another four runs off of three hits in the bottom of the fourth to take a five-run lead (5-0).
RBI-singles from Andrew Brock and Harvey, along with sacrifice flies from Cox and Kenny Mills helped bring the four runs across.
The Lions' bats then exploded in the bottom of the fifth, connecting on five hits and putting three runs up on the board (5-3). The hits included four singles on top of a double by Conner Jelley.
But, the Scots would tack on another three runs over the course of the next two innings, extending their lead back out to five (8-3).
After Covenant put one on the board in the sixth (6-3), a single from Adelgren and a double from Mills helped make it 8-3 in favor of the Scots in the seventh.
Piedmont used two hits to add one more to their line score in the bottom of the eighth, making it 8-4, and would score once more in the bottom of the ninth (8-5). But, Covenant's defense was able to stop any further threat, sealing their game two win and series sweep.
Brock finished 3-of-5 with an RBI, while Mills was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Harvey and Adelgren also both tallied two RBIs. Conor Austin (3-3) picked up the win, pitching 4.1 innings with two strikeouts, one walk, and two earned runs.
Alex Gonzalez, Carter Ballstadt, and Hunter Cain all were 2-of-4 with an RBI apiece. Braden Simms (3-1) started on the mound for the Lions and earned the loss after recording two strikeouts, five walks, and five earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched.
Piedmont falls to 5-4 in conference play.
Original source can be found here.
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