DEMOREST, Ga. - The Brevard College baseball team (14-16) fell to No. 24 Piedmont (21-9), 12-2 in seven innings to split the season series with the Lions on Wednesday evening at Loudermilk Field. 

The Lions narrowly outhit the Tornados, 11-9, but took advantage of a pair of walks and four HBP, bringing 12 total baserunners across to score. Conversely, BC stranded nine runners on base. 

Piedmont struck first with Gregory Simmons on the mound making his first career start. The Lions got their leadoff runner aboard with a single, stole two bases, and scored the first run of the game via a wild pitch. Consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly put the hosts up by two, but with the bases loaded and one out Cole Smith came in and ended the threat. 

The Lions once again loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, and a three-RBI double made it a 5-0 ballgame. Piedmont tacked on one more thanks to a sacrifice fly to cap the frame off. 

BC stranded two runners in both the third and fourth innings before Piedmont used a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to extend its margin to seven runs. 

Brevard broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to trim the deficit to five. Adam Newcomb singled, followed by a Nico Bartolotti double to put runners at second and third with one out. Lucas Woodard drove in Newcomb with an RBI single, followed up with Kacey Shanks' pinch-hit RBI groundout. 

The nationally-ranked Lions capped the victory off with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and three in the bottom of the seventh to run rule BC. 

Bartolotti and Newcomb each went 3-for-4 to lead the Tornado offense. 

BC opens a three-game series with Southern Virginia, starting on Friday at 4 p.m. at Gil Coan Field. 

To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter/Instagram @BCTornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube and SoundCloud, and follow 'Brevard College Tornado Athletics' on Facebook.In addition, follow 'brevardcollege' on Flickr for photos from BC events.

-BC-