Diamond Cougars Defeat Gatewood
In their ongoing attempt to prepare for the 2015 region schedule, the Piedmont Academy Diamond Cougars took a 2-1 home win against long-time rival Gatewood Tuesday afternoon.
Zach Beggs worked five innings on the pitcher’s mound to earn the win while Mack Brady pitched two strong innings in relief to register the save.
“Zach pitched well,” coach Daniel Funt said. “We wanted him to pitch a little longer today with region coming up. He ended up throwing about 70 pitches even though we had planned for him to go 50-60.”
Beggs was also 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI while Noah Quick was 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Funt also praised the pitching effort of Brady.
“He did a good job as well,” the coach said. “He was lights out in the seventh inning after settling in.”
Brady also contributed offensively going 1-for-2 with a run scored. Wyatt Galloway and Michael Edwards also delivered at the plate.
Piedmont scored its two runs in the bottom of the third while Gatewood pushed across its lone run in the top of the sixth.
Prior to Tuesday, the Diamond Cougars tied John Milledge 3-3 in a non-region game last Thursday in Monticello, which was called after seven innings.
Beggs, Edwards, Brock Carter, Luke Andrews, Mike Davis and Tyler Mills paced the offense. Beggs and Davis both drove in runs.
Davis worked the game’s first five innings for Piedmont allowing three hits, three runs (one earned) and striking out six. Galloway then pitched one inning before Beggs worked the seventh, striking out three.
Since a B-Team game was on deck and the game was non-region, extra innings were not played.
The following day saw the Cougars traveled to Trinity-Christian Sharpsburg falling 5-4 in eight innings.
Andrews worked seven innings scattering seven hits while striking out seven and walking three. Andrews also connected for a homerun while finishing the day 3-for-4.
Noah Quick, Zach Wilson, Carter, Mack Brady and Cameron Hammock also contributed offensively.
“We are getting better,” Funt said. “We just need to relax and do what we are capable of doing. We may still be pushing ourselves too much. We just need to settle in and not put so much pressure on ourselves.”
Piedmont’s varsity baseball team is set to travel to Gatewood Thursday, March 19, for a 4:30 p.m. rematch before hosting Monsignor Donovan Friday in a region contest, also at 4:30 p.m.