DEMOREST, Ga. - With the game tied 5-5 in the seventh inning, Piedmont University (9-10-1, 1-1 USA South) scored four out of the last five runs to take a 9-6 victory over the Brevard College baseball team (14-8, 3-2 USAS) on Saturday afternoon at Loudermilk Field in Demorest, Georgia.
The Lions were able to tally a pair of runs in the seventh and eighth inning each to pull away for the win and thwart the Tornado comeback attempt, which began when BC scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game, 5-5.
Freshmen standouts Cale Oehler and Frankie Vasquez each doubled for Brevard as part of 2-for-5 outings for the pair of first-year Tornados. Zach Allison, Blake Burchett, and Jason Jucker also turned in two-hit performances as the Tornados logged 12 hits in the contest as a team. Jucker led all Tornados with two RBIs, while Burchett and Christian Ezzell stole two bases apiece. Burchett's two stolen bases brought his season total to 22, which leads all USA South baserunners.
Nathan Sanders got the start for Brevard, allowing five earned runs in four innings of work with four strikeouts. Cesar Rodriguez (1-2) hurled three innings with two earned runs and a pair of strikeouts, while Ethan Coleman and Jacob Thompson also toed the rubber for the Tornados.
Piedmont powered its way past Brevard with three solo home runs, which proved to be the difference in game two. Carter Ballstadt went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs to lead all Lion hitters. Noah Aaron and Scott Lyon also had multi-hit outings, while Tyler Roon (4-2) earned the win with two and one-third innings of scoreless work. Notably, Roon is the younger brother of BC alumnus Ryan Roon '20.
Jucker kicked off the first inning with an RBI single that scored Burchett as Brevard took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Ballstadt was able to answer with a home run in the bottom-half of the frame, tying the contest at one-all.
Jucker, BC's senior shortstop from Altamonte Springs, Florida, logged his second RBI single in as many at-bats in the top of the third to help Brevard reclaim a 2-1 advantage, however, Ballstadt answered right back with his second solo bomb in as many plate appearances, tying the score once more, 2-2.
Piedmont struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly and a two-RBI single, as the hosts reclaimed a 5-2 advantage.
Brevard turned in its most productive offensive inning in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs on four hits and an error to tie the game at a 5-5 score. Christian Ezzell drove in Oehler on an RBI single before Allison and Burchett each logged RBI singles to equalize the contest. Piedmont's defense thwarted further offense, as a line out stranded three of Brevard's 11 total runners left on-base overall in the game.
The Lions hit their third home run of the contest in the bottom of the seventh, a solo shot that put the hosts on top for good, 6-5. A Hunter Cain RBI-double made it a 7-5 affair before Piedmont added further insurance with a pair of sacrifice flys in the bottom of the eighth.
Vasquez led off the top of the ninth with a double, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch to pull the Tornados within three runs, 9-6. However, a pair of looking strikeouts gave Piedmont its first USA South victory of 2022.
Brevard and Piedmont meet for the rubber match of the three-game conference series on Sunday at 2 p.m.
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-BC-