Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 7, Guilford 11
Records: Lions 0-1 (0-0 USA South), Quakers 1-0 (0-0 ODAC)
Location: Demorest, Georgia - Loudermilk Field

Demorest, GA  - In the 2016 season opener for the Piedmont College baseball team the bats were hot on both sides, but it was the Quakers of Guilford College who won the opener 11-7. The two teams combined for 31 hits in the game as there was no shortage of offensive action.

RILEY PRESNELL earned his first start in the Green and Gold taking the loss after pitching 4.1 innings as both starting pitchers surrendered nine hits during their stint. Presnell gave up a pair of runs in the opening frame but settled in striking out four batters in all. 

The Lions answered the Quakers hot start with a run of their own in the bottom of the first after BRECK DAVIDSON singled sending GRIFFIN OLSON around to score. Piedmont would tack on two more runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead as JAKE BROWNING singled, advanced to second on an error and and notched two RBI as MICHAEL BARNES and ZACK JOHNSON scored.

The 3-2 lead was short lived as the Quakers' Chuck Noble hit a homerun in the top of the 4th to tie the game, but Piedmont once again took a lead in the fourth after Olson scored an unearned run making it 4-3.

The Lions were unable to score again until the bottom of the ninth however as the Quakers scored eight runs from the fifth inning through the ninth, adding a run in each inning but the seventh. Piedmont left the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth innings after coming close to cutting into the Guilford lead. 

EVAN GRESHAM led the way for Piedmont as he began 2016 with a 3-for-5 night at the plate including a run and RBI. ZACH LANGLEY and JAKE BROWNING both ended the night with a pair of RBI which was tops on the team. 

Turning Point
--A three-run fifth inning gave the Quakers the lead again and they never looked back adding a run in each inning after but the seventh. 

Standout Performances
--EVAN GRESHAM continued his dominance at the plate as he hit .600 in the game going 3-for-5 with a run, RBI and a walk.
--GRIFFIN OLSON went 2-for-4 in the game with three runs scored as well as two stolen bases.

Inside the Box Score
--Piedmont notched four stolen bases in the game while the Quakers had none. 
--These two teams combined for 31 hits and left 30 runners on base. 

News & Notes
--The last time these two met was on April 21, 2015 when Guilford took a 7-3 decision in what was their final game of the year.
--If both teams had scored each runner who was left on base in the contest, the game would've been deadlocked at 24 all.

Up Next
Piedmont continues against Guilford Sunday, February 7 in their final game against one another in 2016 with first pitch set for 2 p.m. 

How to Follow
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