Lee battled back from an opening game 11-1 (eight inning run rule) to win the second game of the Gulf South Conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Olympic Field, 5-0.
 
Saturday will be Little League Day at Olympic Field. All youth teams are invited to come out and enjoy some exciting Lee baseball. They will join the Flames for the national anthem and take a position on the field before the opening pitch. Each player will be given free popcorn and a drink.
 
Game 2, Lee 5, Valdosta 0
The Flames looked like a different ball club in the second game of the doubleheader, thanks to another outstanding pitching performance by Rob Gustitus. For the second straight week, the lanky right-hander rescued the Flames after they had dropped the opening game of a GSC doubleheader.
 
Gustitus (3-1) worked six innings. He gave up only three hits, struck out eight and walked two batters, lowering his earned run average to 2.35. Joe Parete came on for the seventh inning and allowed one hit before getting Valdosta to hit into a game-ending double play.
 
"Rob has really picked us up for the second straight week," said coach Mark Brew after the victory. "He had battled a lot of adversity during his career but is as tough as any kid we have on the roster. When we needed a strong pitching performance, he gave it to us again this afternoon. You can see his confidence continuing to grow with each outing."
 
The Flames provided Gustitus with three big runs in the first inning. Spencer Mossburg reached on an error, Geremy Walton walked and Nate Wierzgac singled to load the bases. Jeffrey Chapuran followed with a RBI one-base knock and Drew Johnson pushed two more Lee runners across the plate with another single.
 
Lee put insurance runs on the board in the sixth inning. Chapuran reached on an error. Johnson followed with his second hit of the game. Peyton Meeker put down a perfect sacrifice bunt that was misplayed by the Blazers, allowing Chapuran to score. Dalton Ney picked up a RBI with a sac-fly to center.
 
Mossburg and Johnson paced the Flames with a pair of hits. Johnson helped to account for three of Lee's five runs with two RBI and a run scored. Mossburg, Walton, Wierzgac and Chapuran tallied Lee's other runs.
 
Dalton Murray was the only Valdosta player with two hits. Austin Hamilton (3-3) was the starting and losing Blazer pitcher. He hurled five innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs, striking out five and walking two. Cooper Cain and Cody Harwell worked final inning for the Blazers.
 
Game 1, Valdosta 11, Lee 1
The Blazers collected 12 hits off four Lee pitchers to win the opener of the three-game series. Hunter Jones (4-1) pitched the complete eight innings and allowed the Flames just five hits. He struck out five and walked one.
 
Lee ace Art Vidrio worked 5.1 innings and took the loss. He allowed six hits, four earned runs, walking five and striking out two. "Art wasn't at his best today and Valdosta came right after us," said coach Brew after the first game loss. "We allowed them to get baserunners early and that's exactly what we couldn't do." Lee hurlers surrendered seven walks and five Blazers received free passes after being hit by pitches.
 
The Blazers scored two runs in the first inning. Lee cut the lead to 2-1 in the third but Valdosta stretched the lead with three more scores in the fourth inning, one run in the sixth and four runs in the seventh inning to put the contest completely out of reach.
 
The top of the Valdosta order had eight of their 12 hits. Kendall Herron, Ryan Slaughter, David Wotham and Luke Suchon had two hits each. They also scored four of the Blazer runs and knocked in five more.
 
Ney had a double and a single for Lee and he scored their only run. Walton also had a two-base hit, while Mossburg tripled. Jordan Howard collected the Flames other hits.
 
John Reese Gilmer followed Vidrio to the mound. He surrendered four hits and four earned runs. Christian Bokich hurled 1.1 innings. He allowed two hits, one earned run, struck out a pair and walked one. Winston Whitener came on for 0.1 innings and gave up a walk.