Pride ties win record in split

Piedmont Pride (32-8) concluded their regular season with 3-1 loss against the Lake Norman Copperheads in the second game of a doubleheader Friday night at Winthrop Ballpark.

Going into the late game, the Pride had secured a first-place seed for the playoffs and a first-round bye. The Pride looked to set a single season record for wins with one more win.

Friday’s regular-season finale was the second half of a doubleheader against Lake Norman. Despite trailing late in the Game One, the Pride won 4-2. Down 2-1 after five innings, Derrick Horton hit a three-run dinger to help steal the game’s momentum back for the Pride. Ryan Huey pitched 6  1/3 innings and Willis Dobison came in to close the game sealing the deal for the Pride.

In their final game, the Pride struggled to get their bats going and could only plate a run. But a solid defensive effort limited the Copperheads to only score three runs off of four hits.

After holding a dominant grip on the regular season, the Pride are looking to carry their momentum into the postseason – regardless of the loss.

“I feel pretty confident in the team we have right now,” assistant coach Preston Hudak said. “The last half of the season we won ten games in a row. Then won the last five or so. I think everyone knows were the best team in the league and we’re going to play like it.”

Turning Point

In the third inning, Pierce Suttles knocked a three-run homer – giving Lake Norman a 3-1 lead.

While the hit was called fair, the ball took a nasty curve swinging dangerously close to the left field foul pole. Pride head coach Joe Hudak sprinted out to the umpire in disagreement but the call stood.

For the next three innings, they failed to get another hit until the seventh inning. The Pride’s Sam Sustersic got on base with an leadoff infield hit and then advanced to second on a Copperhead error – giving the Pride one last hope at the record.

Critical

Given their reward of a playoff bye , it was important that the Pride have a solid offensive campaign. The Pride needed to keep their bats hot. The Pride headed into their final game with the mission to make history – setting a single-season win record but ended up tying the record.

Star Contributors

Sustersic went 1-3 in Game Two and scored the Pride’s lone run in the first. Pitcher Andrew Corbitt threw a solid 3 1/3 innings with four strikeouts while allowing three runs.

On Deck

The Pride secured a first-place playoff seed by winning the regular season – earning them a first-round bye . On Tuesday night at 7 at Winthrop Ballpark, the Pride will face the winner of the 5-3 seed matchup.

The second round of playoffs will be a three-game series. Game One at Winthrop Ballpark, Game Two away, and if necessary Game Three returns to Winthrop.

Box Score

Game 1

Game 2

This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 11:09 PM with the headline "Pride ties win record in split."