DEMOREST — The Piedmont College baseball team split with conference leader Ferrum College Friday winning the first contest 10-0 before dropping the second game of the doubleheader 5-2. Piedmont made a late run in the second game but couldn't catch up despite stellar relief pitching by Matt Vonderschmidt.
Riley Presnell earned the win in game one with eight innings of shutout baseball on the mound as he earned his third win of the season. Piedmont had just three more hits than the Panthers but won 10-0 in the opening game of the series.
Evan Gresham started the scoring with a home run in the first inning and Chris White also hit one out of the park in the sixth inning. Three Lions recorded two hits in the game in Gresham, Breck Davidson and White.
In game two, the Panthers jumped out to a 5-0 lead after scoring three unearned in the fourth inning, but it was Vonderschmidt who stood out in the contest entering in relief on the mound in the fourth inning.
Vonderschmidt pitched 5.1 innings without allowing a batter to reach as he gave up no hits, runs or walks in the contest and struck out five batters. The Lions only offense came late in the game with a pair of runs in the seventh but Piedmont struggled in the final two innings as the final five outs of the game for Piedmont were strikeouts.
The final game of this series will take place Saturday with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. at Loudermilk Field.
