Diamond Cougars to Host Playoffs

The Piedmont Academy baseball team put the finishing touches on the regular season this week and is set to begin the Class AA state playoffs.

The Diamond Cougars will host LaGrange Friday in a best-of-three series. A doubleheader will be played Friday beginning at 1 p.m. A third game, if necessary, would be Saturday although Piedmont coach Danny Camp said Thursday the start time for that game had not been finalized.

The Cougars are the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AA with LaGrange entering state as the No. 3 seed from Region 4-AA after winning a coin toss.

The first-round series will be completed no later than Saturday.
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The Cougars played Nathanael Greene Tuesday but the game was called in the bottom of the fifth with the game tied 4-4. A heavy rain moved through and caused the cancellation of the contest. Piedmont had runners on first and second with no outs when the rain became too heavy to continue playing.

“Our second base runner walked but to be fair to their pitcher, I don’t think he could see the plate because it was raining so hard by that point,” Piedmont coach Danny Camp said.

Since the outcome of the game would not have any meaning on the final Region 1-AA standings, it was simply scratched.

Camp used five different pitchers in five innings.

“We trailed 2-0 at one point but were able to come back,” the coach said. “Hopefully that will give us some confidence.”

Prior to Tuesday, the Cougars defeated Westminster 4-3 last Thursday. Corbett Tucker earned the win recording 14 strikeouts and allowing just one hit.

Blake Hammock was 3-for-3 with two doubles while Tucker was 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI. The game was tied at three going into the bottom of the seventh when freshman Daniel Leinweber delivered the game-winning RBI.

“We are working hard,” Camp said. “This is the group of guys I want in the dugout.”