FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama pushed across five runs in the second inning and added three more insurance runs in the fourth in coasting to a rain-shortened 10-2 victory over the Lee baseball team on Mike Lane Field on Monday.
The win gave the Lions three-game series 2-1 and improved their record to 14-7 overall and 9-3 in the Gulf South Conference standings. The Flames dropped to 15-7 and 6-6 in league standings.
"We have been digging ourselves in too big a hole in game three of these GSC series," remarked Lee head coach Mark Brew after the loss. "It is the third time out of four series in game three that our starters haven't gotten out of the second inning. It has created a lot of pressure on our team to dig out of that kind of hole. With that being said, we were not very good in any phase of the game today. North Alabama got some positive things going in the second inning and kept the pressure on us throughout the day."
Things to do not get any easier for the Flames. "It's back to work this week to prepare for Bellarmine (doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday) and a much improved Shorter team in a conference series this weekend," added Brew.
The Flames jumped out to a short-lived 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Geremy Walton walked and stole second, followed by a walk to Drew Johnson. Walton scored on a RBI single by Miguel Pimentel.
Pimentel had Lee's only two hits off winning pitcher Devan Traglia. He homered in the seventh inning to post the Flames only other run. Traglia (3-0) worked the entire seven innings, striking out nine Lee hitters and walking four.
In the meantime, the Lions tallied five runs in the bottom of the second, added a single run in the third and put the contest far out of reach with three more tallies in the fourth.
The North Alabama 14-hit attack was paced by Kyle Hubbuch, Drake Tucker, Brant Holland and Ben Cooley. Hubbuch, Tucker and Cooley stroked doubles and drove in two runs apiece. They helped account for nine of the Lions 10 runs. T.J. Lockett knocked in the other run for the winners and also crossed the dish with a run.
Jumpel Akanuma (1-2) was Lee's starting and losing hurler. In 1.1 innings, he gave up two hits, three earned runs and walked three. Wes Albert came on for an inning and surrendered two hits and an earned run. He had a strikeout and a walk. Jay Prior followed for 1.1 innings, surrendering five hits and three earned runs. Michael Ray pitched two innings and did not allow a run. John Reese Gilmer was called on for the final 1.1 innings and allowing one earned run. He was touched for two hits and walked one.
After the doubleheader with Bellarmine University (Ky.), the Flames will begin the three-game series with Shorter with a twinbill on Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by a single nine-inning game on Sunday, also beginning with a 1 p.m. start.
