PENSACOLA, Fla. – One of Yogi Berra's favorite quotes, "It ain't over till it's over", probably describes the Lee baseball team effort in the Gulf South Conference best.
The Flames lost on a heart-breaking grand-slam homer to host West Florida on Saturday and then fought all the way back from a 10-2 margin on Sunday only to drop a 10-9 nail biter to Alabama Huntsville.
The season for the never-say-die Flames, who fought back not only in the regular season but also in tournament play, ends with a respectable 30-18 record.
"It wasn't the start we wanted and we spotted Huntsville too many runs early, but I'm really proud of the response of the team," stated coach Mark Brew after the season-ending loss. "Corbin Lamb, Tyler Burcham and Kyle Briner settled us down on the mound and we were able to chip away. Our guys never stopped believing they could win and they should be commended for the effort and attitudes. It was two amazing comebacks over the last two days but we just fell a little short."
The Chargers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Ben Rhodes doubled and AJ Walden homered over the left-field wall. The Flames countered right back when Ben Holland stroked his 18
th homer off the scoreboard in right-center field. Lee appeared ready to post more runs but UAH starting pitcher Will Myers kept his team out front for 6 1/3 innings and picked up the pitching victory.
The Chargers increased their lead to 5-1 in the second inning and ended the day for Lee starter Justin Alleman when Rhodes jacked a three-run homer. Two more Charger runs in the third inning and three more tallies in the sixth pushed the lead to 10-2.
For most teams it would have been likely a time to pack up the bags and head for the house, but there was no quit in this Lee team. The lead was cut to 10-5 in the seventh when Tyler Payne reached on an error, Holland was hit by a pitch, Luke Toms singled and MJ Brown collected a run-scoring one-base hit. The Flames other run came on an error.
In the eighth, the Flames threatened to do serious damage. Payne reached again on an error and Holland picked up one of his four RBI on the day with a single. Trent Hill singled but relief pitcher Taylor Clemons came on to record a big strike out and limit the Flames to only one run.
The thriller entered the ninth inning with the Flames down 10-6. Brown got things going with a double and with two outs Chris Adams was hit by a pitch and Geremy Walton singled to load the bases. Payne made it a 10-7 game with a one-base hit.
The stage was set for Holland, the GSC Player of the Year, who promptly delivered a two-run single and the count stood at 10-9. Payne raced to third on the play and Holland quickly stole second on the next pitch. Hill, who had already delivered three hits in the contest, stepped to the dish and the furious comeback ended when Clemons recorded the huge strikeout.
Lee seniors Holland, Hill, Toms and Brown joined Briner in finishing their careers in outstanding style. Holland had three hits, including a home run. He also drove in four runners. Hill posted a double and two singles and finished the tournament with six hits. Toms had two hits and a RBI and Brown did the same. All totaled, the seniors accounted for 10 of Lee's 14 hits.
Payne had two hits and scored three runs. Nate Wierzgac stroked a solo homer in the sixth inning, while Walton singled and scored.
Michael Fox paced the Chargers with three hits and two runs batted in. Rhodes did key damage from his lead-off spot, driving in three runs and scoring three times.
The Flames used six pitchers in the loss and Alleman (6-5) was charged with the loss. Lamb, Burcham and Briner delivered solid mound efforts.
Chris Kilpatrick worked 1 1/3 innings for the Chargers, while Clemons picked up his ninth save of the year.
