LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- A sweep of Covenant College Tuesday put the Piedmont College women’s softball team above .500 in conference play at 10-8 and back in the top half of the conference standings. The Lady Lions took both games in impressive fashion winning game one 10-3 and the second game 8-2.
SARAH WALKER pitched both complete games putting in a solid resume for USA South Pitcher of the Week as she tossed 14 innings, giving up six hits in each game and a combined 5 runs on the day. Walker's record is now 11-6 this season as she has taken a decision in seven of the last eight outings for the Lady Lions.
Game 1: Piedmont 10, Covenant 3
The Lady Lions were hot early on Tuesday taking a commanding 6-0 lead through the first two innings and winning 10-3 over the Scots. Piedmont had a total of 13 hits in the game and SARAH WALKER went the distance for the Lady Lions striking out five Scots.
Piedmont plated two runs in the top of the first beginning with a pair of doubles, first by lead-off hitter ABBY ATKINSON, then LAURA CARTER traded places with her to give the Lady Lions a 1-0 lead. Carter would later come around to score in the inning as well.
Another four runs would be scored by the Lady Lions in the top of the second on four hits and three errors by the Scots. The score would remain 6-0 until the bottom of the fourth when the Lady Lions would surrender a pair of runs on two hits including a Jordan Brett home run.
The Lady Lions would answer back with a single run in the top of the fifth taking a 7-2 advantage and added on three more in the final frame. In the seventh, Piedmont scored three runs on four hits and stranded two runners.
Four Piedmont athletes had two or more hits in the game led byALLISON VAUGHN who had a 3-for-4 game with two runs and an RBI. The other three Lady Lions with multiple hits were ABBY ATKINSON, LAURA CARTER and ALLYSON GENTRY.
Game 2: Piedmont 8, Covenant 2
The Lady Lions once again scored early and often against the Scots and won game two 8-2 behind another complete game by SARAH WALKER. Piedmont had 14 hits in game two for a total of 27 in the doubleheader.
Piedmont began game two just as they did game one scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. The Lady Lions scored twice on three hits and an error as ABBY ATKINSON andLAURA CARTER both crossed home.
Covenant responded with a run in the bottom of the first, but the Lady Lions scored a single run in the top of the second to keep it a two-run game. ALLYSON GENTRY walked to start the inning and later scored on an Atkinson single to left field.
The Scots knocked out the second homerun of the day as they had a solo shot in the bottom of the second making it a 3-2 game, but Walker would shut down the Scots offense as they would only manage three hits over the remainder of the game. Once again, Piedmont answered with a single run in the top of the third making it once again a two-run game.
In the final two innings of the game, the Lady Lions scored a pair of runs each, stretching their lead to 8-2 which would be the final score. In the top of the sixth, WHITNEY WOLFE hit a blast out scoring AMBER TRIGUERO who pinch ran for senior MADISON EUBANKS who walked to lead off the inning.
A pair of Lady Lions recorded three hits in the game as seniors Atkinson and Wolfe led the way with Wolfe alone having half the RBI total of the day with four of her own. ABBY SMITH, JESSICA BAGWELL and Allison Gentry contributed a pair of hits each.
Piedmont will return to action on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Greensboro for the final weekend of USA South play with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. followed by a doubleheader against Averett on Sunday beginning at noon.
