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Solid pitching and timely hitting propelled the Lee softball team to a doubleheader sweep of rival Shorter University on Saturday at the Cleveland High School Softball field.

The Lady Flames rallied in the sixth inning to take game one, 3-2 and notch head coach Emily Russell her 500^th career victory, all coming at Lee.

"I've had a lot of great players over the years that have been a joy to coach," said Russell. "Many of them were here today and it's great to see them move on and be successful once they leave our program."

Angie Hughes went the distance in the circle in game two and Kaylie Drew homered for the fourth time in six games as Lee completed the sweep with a 5-2 victory.

The two clubs will wrap up the Gulf South Conference (GSC) series tomorrow with a single-game beginning at 2 p.m. The contest was played at Cleveland due to wet field conditions at Lee's Butler Field.

Game One – LU 3, SU 2
The Lady Flames didn't make Russell wait long for her 500^th career victory as Lee made it six straight wins with a 3-2 comeback effort in game one over the Lady Hawks.

After being stifled for much of the game the bats came alive in the sixth inning. Emily Dagnan got the Lady Flames on the board with a RBI double scoring Dominique Hannah. Leigh Beatenbough helped herself with a two-run double to push Lee ahead.

Beatenbough (7-6) worked all seven innings giving up six hits and two runs (one earned). The freshman walked three and struck out three.

Maddie Bray (6-5) was cruising through the Lee lineup until hitting the road bump in the sixth inning. Bray tossed six innings and surrendered just five hits and three unearned runs.

The Lady Hawks jumped on the board first with two runs in the second. Kori Benson delivered an RBI double and Niki Cook reached on error allowing a run to score.

Game Two – LU 5, SU 2
Once again Shorter would score first but failed to hold the lead as the Lady Flames scored four in the second to complete the sweep by a final score of 5-2 in the nightcap.

Nia Ceasar helped Lee tie things up in the bottom of the first as she roped a run-scoring single to center to score Hannah.

Hannah would extend the advantage in the second frame as she stroked a two-run double. Drew would follow right behind launching an opposite field homer to give Lee a commanding 5-1 lead.

Shorter would add a run in the first on an illegal pitch and a run in the third on a throwing error but that was it as Lee righty Hughes (8-4) dazzled in the circle.

The junior went all seven innings allowing just one earned run on six hits. Hughes struck out seven and walked only two batters in the contest.

Kalei Kimbrell (3-2) was tagged with the loss for the Lady Hawks. Kimbrell would not be able to get out the second as she allowed five runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings. Only one of the runs was earned. Amanda Blanchard came on in relief and was solid over 4 1/3 scoreless innings giving up just two hits.

The Lady Flames are now 18-10 overall and 9-7 in league play. The Lady Hawks fall to 19-7 and 9-7 in the GSC.