DEMOREST — Following a game with heavy offensive output on both sides Saturday, it was the pitching that set the tone in the Piedmont College baseball team's 7-3 victory over Guilford College Sunday. The Lions' pitching staff allowed just three runs, all coming in the fifth inning, while holding the Quakers scoreless in eight innings.
Alex Astin earned the start and gave the Lions a solid four innings giving up three hits and one run while striking out six batters. His six strikeouts came through the first eight outs of the game, giving him a new single-game high.
Matt Vonderschmidt earned the win in relief pitching 2.2 innings giving up just a single hit and one walk. Vonderschmidt made his first appearance on the mound Saturday facing a single batter, while facing nine Sunday.
Josh Thomas closed out the game earning his first save of the year in his first appearance as he tossed two innings giving up three hits and striking out two. Thomas ended the game in dramatic fashion getting the final batter, who presented the tying run, to ground out with the bases loaded.
Piedmont's offense was clicking as well scoring seven runs again as the Lions put up a pair of runs in the second as Chris White singled scoring Michael Barned and a wild pitch sent Jake Browning around to score later in the inning.
Browning accounted for the next scoring play for Piedmont in the third as he doubled to score Zach Langley and looked to make it two RBI for Browning but Barnes was called out at the plate making it 3-0. The Lions added another run in the fourth before the Quakers added three of their own to make it 4-3 Piedmont through the fifth inning.
Piedmont continued to find success at the plate as they added a run in the sixth thanks to Gresham grounding out to score White with the bases loaded and tacked on two more in the eighth.
