DEMOREST, Ga -- The West #5 seeded Wesleyan College Cinderella run in the 2022 USA South Softball Tournament came to an end today as West #1 seeded Piedmont University captured the championship for the second consecutive year. In the best-of-three championship series, the Lions swept the Wolves, with 4-2 and 3-0 victories.

In the first game of the double header, Piedmont jumped out to an early one-run lead in the 1st inning. In the top of the 2nd inning, Marilynn Nesmith tripled home Jasmine Staley  and scored on an error to give the Wolves a 2-1 lead. . The Wolves held that lead until the bottom of the fifth inning, Piedmont's Kara Taylor hit a two-run double to center, scoring Isley and Stegmayer to put the Lions up 3-2. Piedmont would add another run in the 6th inning to secure the 4-2 win. Kimmy Dick pitched the entire game for Wesleyan giving up 5 hits but was bested by Emma McBrayer who also gave up 5 hits and went the distance for the Lions. 

In game two, Piedmont jumped out to a top of the first-inning lead 1-0 behind 3 singles and 2 Wesleyan errors but the Wolves starting pitcher Tihana Zupanic stranded the bases loaded to limit the damage. Wesleyan looked to score in the bottom of the inning as Savannah Pollock and Bailey Caldwell hit 1 out singles. Jendayi Wright then hit a line drive to left that was caught and Pollock was doubled off second base ending the inning. The next 4 innings were a scoreless pitching duel as Piedmont maintained their 1-0 lead. Piedmont added 2 runs in the top of the 6th inning bunching together 2 hits and 5 stolen bases to take a 3-0 lead. The Wolves failed to score in the bottom of the 6th & 7th innings as Piedmont won the Championship. Tihana Zupanic, Marilynn Nesmith, Kimmy Dick, and Jasmine Staley were named to the all-tournament team for Wesleyan. Wesleyan finished the season with a school record 24 wins, including its first 4 post season wins, and an overall record of 24-16. We congratulate our Wolves on a tremendous season!