DEMOREST, Ga. – MIT received a pair of solid pitching performances and then held off a rally in the bottom of the ninth by Piedmont College to take a 3-2 win in non-conference baseball action. Sophomore Zach Michaud (Moorestown, N.J.) pitched four scoreless innings in relief, giving up just one hit and striking out three to earn the win.

MIT (2-4) struck first in the top of the third. Sophomore David Heller (Fair Lawn, N.J.) led off with a double and came around to score on a two-out single by junior John Drago (Peoria, Ariz.). Drago, who had taken second on the throw on his hit, then came in on sophomore Garrett Greenwood's (Edmond, Okla.) base hit. 

A pair of strong pitching performances held the Piedmont (15-9) bats in check over the first eight innings. Senior Nicholas Locascio (Naples, Fla.) started for MIT and tossed four shutout innings, allowing just a pair of hits, with Michaud following with his four-inning stint.

It stayed 2-0 until the eighth when the Engineers tacked on what proved to be the game-winning run. A single, hit batter, fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases with one down. Senior Alec Echevarria (Chula Vista, Calif.) then hit into a fielder's choice to second, scoring sophomore Will Loucks (Las Vegas, Nev.) from third to make it 3-0.

Piedmont made it interesting in the ninth, staging a two-out rally. Senior Eric Tu (San Ramon, Calif.) picked up the first two outs, but a base hit by Chris White started the uprising. Another single and an error led to a run before Brady Ballstadt made it three straight hits for the Lions, bringing home a second run. Two walks then loaded the bases before Greenwood came in to pitch, wrapping it up by getting a fielder's choice from the final hitter to pick up his first save of the season. 

Max Bening started and took the loss for Piedmont, allowing seven hits and two runs over six innings, striking out six and walking one.

Greenwood led MIT's offense with three hits, with Drago, Heller and sophomore Austin Filiere (Chandler, Ariz.) all collecting a pair of hits for the Engineers.

With rain forecast for Thursday, MIT's game scheduled for Thursday against Emory University has been moved up a day, with the two teams facing off at 1:30. The Engineers will then come back tomorrow night to Piedmont for a 7:30 contest with the Lions.