PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Lee Flames battled back from a 7-4 deficit in the top of the ninth inning only to see host West Florida end the contest with a controversial grand-slam homerun in the bottom of the ninth.
Coach Mark Brew said, "What a game! I'm really proud of the effort our team showed to bounce back and score six runs against the top pitching staff in the conference. We missed a few opportunities early and had a couple of defensive miscues but we had a chance to beat the top team in the conference and we can't ask for much more than that. I thought Trent Hill did an excellent job both on the mound and at the plate."
The loss drops the Flames into the loser's bracket and they will seek to stay alive in the six-team Gulf South Conference tournament when they face Alabama Huntsville, a 7-2 loser to Delta State earlier on Saturday.
The Argonauts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning but the Flames fought back to tie the game at one in the top of the sixth when Trent Hill doubled, went to third on a single by MJ Brown and scored on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Nate Wierzgac.
The Flames were their own worst enemy in the bottom of the seventh inning. A pair of costly errors combined with a grand-slam homerun by Alex Greene appeared to put the host club in great shape, leading 7-1. It was the first career homerun by the senior.
Lee chipped away with a couple of runs in the top of the eighth. Ben Holland singled, Luke Toms doubled and Brown picked up a pair of RBI with a single.
The fighting Flames were not finished and went to work against West Florida's all-conference pitcher Jarrod Petree in the top of the ninth. The rally eventually led the Flames to tie contest at seven.
Geremy Walton, pinch-hitter Miguel Pimentel and Tyler Payne singled. Holland followed with a RBI one-base hit and Hill came up with his second big hit of the game, a single that plated two runs. Hill finished the afternoon with three hits, two runs batted in and a run scored.
The Lee comeback did not last long. Reliever Kyle Briner got the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth before giving up a single to Jimmy Redovien. A hit batter followed and Nic Strasser singled to load the bases. Coach Mark Brew went to his bullpen and called on lefty Tyler Burcham. The lefty was greeted with the walk-off grand-slam that was just inside the left-field flag pole.
"We can question the homerun all we want," pointed out Brew. "But it isn't going to change the outcome. All we can do is focus on what's in front of us and that's an elimination game with Huntsville. We have played well for the last 1 1/3 months with our backs against the wall and I expect us to compete tomorrow."
The Flames out-hit the Argos 14-8. Hill was followed by two hits and two runs scored by Holland. Brown and Wierzgac also had two hits each. Payne and Toms also hit safely, while Zack Zyburt chipped in with a double.
Hill gave the Flames 6 1/3 solid innings on the mound. He allowed four hits, two earned runs, struck out four and walked one. Briner hurled 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, three earned runs. He was charged with the loss. Burcham surrendered a couple of hits and two earned runs.
