Superb base running and solid defense usually helps produce a victory in the game of baseball. Toss in a few walks and costly errors by the opponent and you can picture why Lee was able to advance to within one win of the NCCAA Mid-East Region championship on Wednesday afternoon.
The Flames, playing host to the regional event, sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the fifth inning in posting a 7-3 victory over Bluefield College. Lee will sit back and wait for one of the teams in the loser's bracket to bounce back and earn another shot at the Flames on Thursday at 5 p.m. The late-night action on Wednesday found Hiwassee College eliminating Morthland College and earning the right to face Bluefield on Tursday at 2 p.m.
Bluefield scored two runs in the top of the first inning on a single, an error and a two-run double by Sawyer McLamb. At the same time, Lee pitching ace Dustin Lawson was battling to keep his team close until the bats came alive.
In the fifth inning Siosi Poti got the five-run rally started when he was hit by a pitch. Andres Nelo followed with a walk and Ben Holland delivered a RBI single. Luke Toms reached on an error and MJ Brown followed with a RBI on a one-base knock.
Coach Mark Brew described the next play as a key to Lee's victory. A safety squeeze was perfectly executed by Nate Weirzgac that scored Toms. "We knew Nate was a good bunter and the situation set up perfectly for the squeeze," said Brew. "We really were not taking that big of a chance. If Nate doesn't get the bunt down, we still have a runner on third."
Not only was the bunt executed to perfection, Weirzgac was credited with a one-base hit and a RBI on the play. Cameron Scott followed with a single that scored Brown and the five-run rally was all the Flames would need to post their 33rd victory of the season and move to within one win of earning a second straight trip to Mason, Ohio and the NCCAA National Tournament.
In the wild fifth inning Bluefield pitchers hit two batters and issued a walk. In the field the Rams committed a pair of costly errors. "I told our team we just gave this one away," said veteran Bluefield coach Mike White. "Lee made the defensive plays and their pitchers did not issue walks. That was the difference in the game." In fact, the Rams out-hit the Flames 8-7 but were guilty of four errors and walked six, plus hitting two batters.
The Flames added an insurance run in the sixth inning when Holland doubled and scored on an error. The first Lee run was recorded in the third inning without a single hit. Bluefield pitchers walked three straight hitters before Nelo picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Holland finished the day with three hits. He scored a pair of runs and drove in another. Brown followed with two hits, a RBI and a run scored. Weirzgac and Scott posted a hit and knocked in one run apiece.
"Dustin didn't have his best stuff today," admitted coach Brew. "But he hung in there and gave us a chance to win." In five innings, Lawson (7-1) surrendered seven hits and allowed one earned run. Freshman Michael James pitched the Flames out of a jam in the sixth inning. He hurled two innings but allowed three walks and struck out one. Kyle Briner came on to close the deal in the eighth and ninth innings. He gave up a hit, walked two and struck out one.
Bluefield used five pitchers and starter Dylan Ruth was charged with the defeat. Chris McCollister had two doubles and a single for the Rams. McLamb knocked in two runs and Garrett Schilling had a pair of singles.
