DEMOREST, Ga. - After a spirited rally by the Scots in the late innings, the bullpen and defense could not hold the lead as Covenant dropped the series opener 6-5 in 10 innings.

Final: Piedmont 6, Covenant 5
Records: Covenant (12-18, 5-5 CCS), Piedmont (17-11, 5-2 CCS)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Scots got a scoreless first from senior ace Bryce Bollinger, but could not get him any runs in the bottom of the inning despite putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out.
• Bollinger had to work out of a slight jam in the second inning, getting out of the inning with runners at first and second to keep the game scoreless.
• The Scots pushed the first run across in the top of the third, with junior first baseman Chris Savage driving in senior Kenny Mills from third on a groundout to shortstop. (Scots 1, Lions 0)
• The score stayed that way until the bottom of the 6th, when Piedmont scored two runs on three hits to take a 2-1 lead.  
• The Lions added two more runs in the 7th on two hits and the help of a Cody Gibson error to make it 4-1 Lions.
• The Scots responded in a big way in the top of the 8th inning, with a four-run, four-hit rally featuring a Cody Gibson game-tying single and a Ben Johnson go-ahead RBI single with the bases loaded and two outs to give the Scots a 5-4 lead.
• Bollinger went out for the 8th but was pulled after giving up a leadoff double.  Freshman Jonathan Glover came in, and after a wild pitch advanced the runner to third, got the next two men out, but could not hold on, as Piedmont SS Kolton Hicks singled in the game-tying run to make it 5-5.
• The teams traded scoreless 9th innings and we had bonus baseball in Demorest
• Savage led off the 10th with a single, but Piedmont reliever Braden Simms retired the next three men in order to keep it tied.
• Sophomore Aeden Beuning entered in the 10th and hit the first two men he faced with pitches, putting the game-winning run in scoring position with nobody out.  It unraveled when Beuning committed a throwing error that allowed the winning run to score, giving Piedmont the series-opening victory 6-5.

GAME NOTES:

• Covenant moves to 15-20 all-time against Piedmont.
• Savage went 1-4 with two RBIs.
• Mills went 1-3 at the plate with two walks.
• Freshman Daniel Bell added a hit in two place appearances after pinch-hitting for Chase McBryar and entering to play RF.
• Bollinger surrendered five runs (four earned) on ten hits in seven-plus innings striking out one and walking one.

UP NEXT: Covenant and Piedmont play a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 2 p.m.. 

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