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Thanks to the big bat of senior Luke Toms the Lee baseball team earned a doubleheader split with visiting Bellarmine University on a chilly Wednesday afternoon from Olympic Field.

The Flames (7-8) will jump back into Gulf South Conference play on Saturday when they open up a three-game set with West Georgia at 2 p.m. Bellarmine is now 3-3 on the year.

LEE 9, BU 1
Toms launched a three-run homer to left field to help jump start the Lee offense and lead the Flames to a 9-1 victory over the Knights in game two on Wednesday.

After being shutout in the opener the Lee offense woke up with five runs in the first inning and three more in the second. Toms finished 2 for 4 with four RBI while Trent Hill tallied a double and two singles to account for his three base knocks.

Six Lee pitchers combined to make the lead stick. Kyle Briner started and worked two perfect frames. Corbin Lamb (1-0) and Gage Carpenter followed and each tossed a scoreless inning. Michael Ray gave up just one unearned run while Dallas Bryan and Trent Hill came in to work the final two innings.

All totaled the Flames' staff struck out seven and walked five in the contest while allowing just two base hits.

"We had to have this win. As disappointed as I was in game one I was proud of the way we bounced back in game two," said head coach Mark Brew after his club's seventh win of the season. "Luke Toms got us off to a great start with the home run. We've got alot of things to improve on and get better at as we look to West Georgia this weekend.

The Lee offense pounded out 13 hits and ran Bellarmine starter Evan McNair (0-2) from the game in the first frame. McNair lasted just 2/3 innings and gave up five hits and five runs. 

Four Bellarmine pitchers saw action on the mound. Yanchey Prichett was roughed up for three runs on four hits in his 2/3 inning of work. Will Birch and John Hakemoller combined to toss 2 2/3 scoreless innings before Nolan May worked the sixth inning and gave up a run on two hits.

LEE 0 BU 4
Bellarmine starter Hunter Spencer threw a complete game (seven innings) shutout and allowed just four hits to lead the Knights past the Flames, 4-0 in game one.

Ben Holland, currently leading the NCAA Division II in home runs (9) and slugging percentage (1.154), lead Lee with a double and single. 

"He's got such a great commitment to approach and adjusting to what the pitcher is doing," said Brew when asked about his senior first baseman. "Unfortunately for us eventually teams are going to start pitching around him so we have to get some other guys in our lineup going to make that decision difficult."

Senior shortstop Toms added a single and walked while Geremy Walton singled to account for Lee's only baserunners.

Spencer (2-0) fanned four and yielded just one walk while keeping the Flames' offense off balance throughout the contest.

Rob Gustitus (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Lee. The right hander gave up two runs on three hits in his three innings on the mound. Tyler Burcham was effective in relief and threw three scoreless innings to go with three strikeouts. Christian Bokich worked the seventh inning and allowed two runs on three hits.

The top of the lineup got things going for the Knights. Leadoff hitter Jess Staples was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Two-hole hitter, Griffin Neuer added three hits, including a first inning triple that jump started the Kentucky club and finished with three RBI.