JACKSON, Tenn. – Getting solid pitching and timely hitting, the Lee University baseball team improved to 12-9 in the all-important Gulf South Conference standings and 22-14 overall with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader sweep of host Union University.
The final game of the three-game series is slated to get underway on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. (EDT).
GAME 2, LEE 5, UNION UNIVERSITY 0
Justin Alleman (5-3) hurled a one-hit shutout to give the Flames a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. The junior right-hander struck out eight and walked only one Bulldog hitter in his most dominating performance of the season.
The Flames scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Ben Holland opened the frame with a double and took third on a wild pitch. He scored on an infield hit by Trent Hill. Ty Broady collected the second RBI of the inning when his single to right field plated Chris Adams.
The margin was stretched to 4-0 in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Miguel Pimentel banged out a one-base hit that scored Broady and Nate Wierzgac. One more insurance was added in the seventh inning when Adams doubled to right center-field to push Hill across the plate.
Holland and Adams each had a double and a single in the victory. Adams finished with two hits, while Kyle Briner, Broady and Pimentel were main contributors in Lee's eight-hit attack.
Marty Coursey was the starting and losing pitcher for the Bulldogs. He hurled 5 2/3 of the seven-inning contest.
GAME ONE, LEE 3, UNION UNIVERSITY 2
Luke Toms ripped a home run and a double, Holland had a pair of hits and lefty Art Vidrio (4-3) gave the Flames eight solid innings on the hill, helping Lee edge the Bulldogs 3-2 in the opening game of a Saturday GSC doubleheader.
Toms stroked a solo homer in the second inning to put the Flames up 1-0. The margin increased to 2-0 in the third. Briner and Holland walked and both runners moved up on a force out by Toms. Briner scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 2-1 in the fourth, but Lee added a badly needed insurance run in the top of the sixth when Wierzgac reached on a free pass with the sacks jammed. Tyler Payne had a key bunt single in the inning.
Union tallied a run in the bottom of the eighth off Vidrio. Coach Mark Brew quickly went to the pen and called on sophomore lefty Corbin Lamb. He worked Lee out of a jam in the eighth inning and came back out in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
Vidrio scattered eight hits while allowing two earned runs. He fanned 12 Union hitters and did not walk a man. Teddy Christie (3-4) was the starting and losing hurler. Andrew Wilson pitched 2 1/3 innings and Joe Hudson came on to work the ninth.
