MASON, OHIO - It got a little shaky at times but the Lee baseball team finished the first day of pool play in the NCCAA World Series with a pair of victories. The Flames posted a 14-1 mercy rule victory over Trinity Christian on Wednesday afternoon and then came back to escape with a 12-7 wild and sometimes wooly victory over Bethesda University (Calif.) in the late, late nightcap.

The Flames (36-18-1) will return to action on Thursday at 2 p.m. and test Oakland City (Ind.). They will face their biggest test in pool play at 8 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian.

LEE 12, BETHESDA 7

Eight of nine Lee players collected at least one hit in the victory over the California club. The Flames built up a 9-1 victory and appeared to be coasting to a second straight easy win when Bethesda took advantage of two walks and a hit batter and scored five runs in cutting the margin to only 9-6 in the seventh inning. Bethesda's Chris Jacobs stunned the Flames when he blasted a grand slam homer in the seventh.

The Flames countered back with a single run in the bottom of the seventh and then tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth to close out the Anaheim, California team. The battle was called to a halt after eight innings when the NCCAA World Series three hour time limit expired.

Siosi Poti and Ben Holland led the Lee hit parade with three hits apiece. Holland blasted a pair of doubles. He collected a RBI and tallied twice. Poti scored two runs and also knocked in one run. Andres Nelo had two hits and posted four big RBI. He also scored a run. Nate Wierzgac ripped a triple to go along with his one-base hit. He crossed home plate three times. Trent Hill tripled, got a RBI and scored twice.

Jacob Potts (5-4) started and picked up the pitching victory. The right-hander had a no-hitter going until he allowed a pair of singles in the fifth inning. In six innings, Potts surrendered only two hits, no earned runs, struck out four and walked one. Carlos Ditren had control problems and gave up four earned runs. Grayson Bailey came on to cool the Bethesda bats in the seventh. Although he allowed the grand slam homer, he worked 1 2/3 innings and was charged with two earned runs, struck out four and walked one. Ridge Ackerman came on to seal the pitching deal for the Flames in the eighth.
 
Jacobs completed a superior performance with six RBI on three hits. He was a part of all seven runs scored by the Californians. Jacinto Garcia started and hurled 4 1/3 innings for the losers. He allowed eight hits, six earned runs. Daniel Sandoval worked the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and six earned runs.

LEE 14, TRINITY CHRISTIAN 1
Behind a 14-hit attack and solid pitching by Dustin Lawson and Ryan Zimmer, the Lee baseball team passed its opening test of pool play in the NCCAA World Series. The Flames handedly defeated Trinity Christian (Ill.) 14-1. 

Wierzgac enjoyed a perfect day at the plate with three hits in three trips to the plate to pace the sizzling Lee hitting attack. He also knocked in three runs and scored once. However, it was the top of the lineup that impressed Lee coach Mark Brew the most. The 1-4 hitters in the batting order banged out eight of Lee's 14 hits.

"Our guys came out ready to play today," noted Brew. "We had a good practice on Tuesday and I felt good about our chances coming into this one. Poti set the pace and the others followed. Tate gave Lawson a lift when he picked two of the Trinity Christian runners off second base."

Poti set the pace for the 35-18-1 Flames. He had two hits including an inside-the-park home run, drove in three runs, and scored three times. Chis Adams, who teamed with  Nelo and Holland to help the Flames put two runs on the board in the first inning, had a pair of hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Nelo followed with two hits and a run, while Holland blasted a long double. He added a single, contributed three RBI and scored a couple of times.

After scoring two runs in the first, the Flames increased the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning when Hill walked and scored on a double by Wierzgac.

In the fifth inning, Lee sent 12 batters to the plate and posted nine big runs to completely take the Illinois club out of the contest. Poti scored twice in the inning after his one-base hit and the homer. Holland doubled home two runs.  Wierzgac closed out his strong performance with a two RBI hit and Josh Tate chipped in with a double.

For good measure, Lee tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth. Nelo singled, Holland walked and Shae Durham was hit by a pitch to load the bases. MJ Brown and Cameron Scott produced run-scoring singles.

Lawson worked five innings, allowing five hits, no runs, struck out one and walked one. Zimmer pitched the sixth and seventh innings as the contest ended due to the 10-run mercy rule. The lefty gave up a pair of hits, one run and struck out one.

Tanner Reklaitis was charged with the loss. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing 11 hits and 11 earned runs. Marty Mennenga had two hits for Trinity Christian.