Diamond Cougars Earn Key Region Win

Piedmont Academy’s baseball team recorded a much-needed 4-3 region win Tuesday against Covenant. The victory improved the Cougars to 4-4 in Region 1-AA with a game at Brentwood Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Sandersville.

Cole Hamilton earned the win Tuesday going the distance and striking out 10 batters. Piedmont trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth when the Cougars pushed three runs across on the efforts of Daniel Leinweber, Josh Brennan and Luke Andrews.
Covenant tied the game in the top of the seventh before Brennan drove home Hunter Knox, who had walked, for the game-winner in the bottom of the inning.

“We needed this win,” said coach Danny Camp. “We had lost to Covenant 9-2 earlier this season. It was a big win for a young team like us.”

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Offensively, Brennan was 2-for-4 and drove in two runs while Hamilton was 1-for-3. That moves the team to its match-up with Brentwood, who has a spotless record in the region, Friday.

“We have to be able to go down there and relax and just play,” Camp said. “All the pressure is on them. We hope to maybe score a couple of runs and put the pressure on them. We hope to put them in a situation where they have to force some things which could lead to some mistakes.”

Prior to Tuesday, Piedmont defeated John Hancock 14-0 Saturday in a second half of a two-game set in Sparta, which also featured Trinity. The Cougars dropped an 18-0 contest to the Trinity Crusaders. “It was good to be able to battle back against John Hancock after losing to Trinity,” Camp said. “Everything that possibly could go wrong against Trinity did go wrong.”

Hamilton had a monster day at the plate going 5-for-5 with three RBI while Brennan was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Jakey Dunagan and Zach Beggs drove in two runs each. Beggs earned the win striking out seven batters.

Piedmont also defeated the Warner Robins Patriots 14-4 last Thursday as Hamilton earned his third win of the season at the
time. Hamilton was also 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles
and three RBI. Brennan was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and
Leinweber, Mills Smith and Knox each had two RBI.

The Cougars will travel to Brentwood, the Region 1-AA leader, Friday, April 15, at 4:30 p.m. Piedmont will step out of region Saturday to host Nathanael Greene at 1:30 p.m.

Also on Saturday, the Middle School Cougars will compete
at 11 a.m. and an alumni game will be held at 4:30 p.m.
The varsity Cougars will then host region opponent Central Fellowship Tuesday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m.