Diamond Cougars Fall to Briarwood

The Piedmont Academy baseball team had victory in its grasp Tuesday afternoon only to see the lead and the game slip away.

The Cougars fell 11-10 to Briarwood on the road after entering the bottom of the seventh with a 10-7 lead. The Buccaneers avenged a loss to Piedmont the day before with Tuesday’s rally.

“We couldn’t find a way to hang on,” coach Danny Camp said.
The loss dropped the Cougars to 6-7 in region play. It appears the final playoff spot will be between Piedmont and Central Fellowship. Gatewood defeated Central Fellowship Tuesday and the two schools will meet again today, April 28.
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Another Gatewood win would help put the Piedmont team into the postseason. A loss and the Cougars would have to defeat Gatewood, the region leader, Friday.

Prior to Tuesday, Piedmont defeated Briarwood 7-3 in the first half of a back-to-back setup. Monday’s game was a makeup date from earlier this spring.

Cole Hamilton earned the win improving to 6-2. The Cougars took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second. After a leadoff walk to Zach Beggs and a bunt single by Jarred Smith, Malcom Tyler walked to load the bases.

McKenzie Brittain then walked to force a run home. Hunter Knox delivered a two-run single following by an RBI from Hamilton.
Brittain added a two-RBI single in the fourth as well.
Hamilton struck out five of the first six batters he faced. Beggs would close out the contest as Piedmont recorded another much-needed region win.

“We are playing with several eighth and ninth graders, but they are doing well and improving each time out,” Camp said.

The Cougars fell 10-0 to Windsor last Friday. The Knights jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the first and second innings.
“It’s hard to play from behind against good teams,” Camp said. “We got off to a bad start. We struck out too many times to expect to win against a quality opponent.”

Piedmont was limited to four hits in the contest.
The Cougars will travel to region leader Gatewood Friday, April 29, for a 4:30 p.m. game before traveling to Loganville Christian Saturday at 11 a.m. in a non-region contest.