Diamond Cougars Win Opener
In a battle of defending state champions, the Piedmont Academy baseball team used a four-run first inning to eventually defeat Bethlehem Christian Academy 6-1 last Friday as the 2015 season began.
The Cougars scored four runs in the bottom of the first taking advantage of four walks and one hit batter by BCA starting pitcher Jacob Parker. Those runs proved to be more than enough as Piedmont’s Michael Davis allowed no hits and one run to record the win.
“It wasn’t a perfect game by either team but we are glad to get the win,” said first-year Cougar head coach Daniel Funt. “The field was under water the day before so we were lucky to even be able to play. We’ll go back to work and keep improving.”
Piedmont is the defending GISA AA state champion while BCA entered the 2015 opener as the back-to-back Class A champion. The Knights are competing in AAA this season while the Cougars continue in Class AA.
Both teams had been hampered in preseason practice attempts due to various weather conditions. Both teams had several team members who also just finished basketball season. For Piedmont, some baseball team members were competing in a state basketball game less than 24 hours earlier several hours away from Monticello.
Davis worked the first three innings for the Cougars. The lone BCA run came in the top of the third when P.J. Klein scored when Brady Stewart reached on an error. That made the score 4-1 but the Knights left two runners stranded in the inning and could get no closer the rest of the day.
Piedmont started its four-run bottom of the first on a one-out walk by Brock Carter, who would advance to second on a wild pitch. A walk to Beggs put runners on first and second with one out when Luke Andrews was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hunter Burson then drew a walk to allow the first run of the day to cross home.
A shallow single behind first base by catcher Wyatt Galloway then scored Beggs for a 2-0 lead. Mikey Weatherly walked to allow Andrews to score and Burson later crossed home on a fielder’s choice by Tyler Mills.
The score remained 4-1 until the bottom of the fifth when Piedmont added two insurance runs. Infield singles by Carter and Beggs started the inning when Burson reached on an error to load the bases. Carter would score when Galloway stepped in and was then hit by a pitch. Another walk to Weatherly allowed Beggs to score the sixth run of the day for the Cougars.
Andrews and Carter also saw time on the pitcher’s mound Friday. Funt said leading into the opener he planned to use multiple pitchers. Andrews recorded three strikeouts while Carter had two.
Piedmont is scheduled to return to the field today, March 5, when it travels to Trinity Christian-Sharpsbug for a 4 p.m. non-region contest. It will be the second game of the season for the Cougars against an opponent from Region 1-AAA.
In the opener against BCA, Piedmont’s defense was solid overall. Noah Quick (second base) and Carter (shortstop) both made plays in the field in the opener for the Cougars.