Demorest, Ga. -- The 16th-ranked University of Lynchburg baseball team suffered its first loss of the 2023 season Saturday, a 5-4 road defeat at Piedmont.

The Hornets scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by Gavin Collins' RBI single, but quickly fell in a hole as the Lions responded with five in the bottom half. Baylor Cumbea entered in relief and tossed 2 ⅓ no-hit innings to calm the waters.

Avery Neaves clubbed a solo homer in the fifth to bring Lynchburg closer, and Jackson Harding singled home a run in the eighth to cut the lead to one.

Meanwhile, on the mound, Logan Tapman dazzled in his collegiate debut, scattering three hits over five shutout innings and striking out three.

The Hornets had the top of the order up in the ninth, but PU's Nathan Boyce set the Hornets down in order to end the ballgame.

Lynchburg (1-1) will look to make it a winning weekend early Sunday, taking on La Verne at 10 a.m. The Leopards received votes in the D3baseball.com preseason poll.

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--LYN--