SAINT LEO, Fla. – Despite two solid pitching performances the Lee baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Saint Leo University on Saturday afternoon Thomas B. Southard Field.
The Flames fall to 2-3 on the year and will wrap up the series with the Lions (4-0) tomorrow at 12 p.m.
"We once again got quality starting pitching today. Freeman and Morrow did a really excellent job competing against a very good line-up," said head coach Mark Brew. "Defensively we continue to do a really solid job which is allowing us to get deep into the game with our starters."
Brew felt as though the bats are starting to come around for the Flames after a slow start at the plate through the first four games, "Offensively I was pleased with our improvements. We started to swing the bats much better today. We had a lot of hard outs in game 1 and showed signs of the type of offense we can be early in game two. We just couldn't get that big hit late in the game. Tomorrow is a new day and we need to maintain some aggressiveness at the plate."
GAME 1 – LEE 2 SAINT LEO 3
Senior Eric Freeman tossed seven innings and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out five. Freeman has 13 punch outs and a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings of work on the young season.
Wes Albert (0-1) came on in relief and was tagged with the tough-luck loss after surrendering an unearned run. Albert gave up a one-out walk to Brett Coffel who later advanced to second a passed ball. After getting a line out for the second out Jake Sims delivered a run-scoring single to put the Lions up 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth.
Jordan Pendleton started and pitched five innings for the Lions. He struck out five and allowed six hits and two runs. Oscar Gordillo (1-0) earned the victory with three scoreless innings of relief. Peyton Isaacson came on in the ninth to slam the door on the Flames to tally his second save of the season.
Miguel Pimentel got Lee on the board early with an RBI single to left to score Fernando Ortiz. After falling behind, 2-1 the Flames would tie things up in the fifth inning when Tyler Payne scored on a throwing error.
Chase Turner put the Lions on the board with a solo homer left in the second inning to tie things at one. Isaacson gave Saint Leo the lead the very next inning with a double scoring Lane Stancil who went 2 for 4 in the contest.
GAME 2 – LEE 2 SAINT LEO 4
Much like in game one the Flames jumped on the board early with two runs in the first inning but were held scoreless the rest of the way thanks to the pitching of Saint Leo's Tyler Bauman, Drew Tumbelty and Isaacson as Lee fell 4-2 to the Lions in game two.
Chase Gadau ripped a single through the left side to score Payne for the first run before Peyton Meeker made it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly to right field plating Ortiz.
Zach Scott tied things up with a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning for the Lions. Scott added the go-ahead run with his third RBI on the day in the sixth inning on a single to right field.
Derek Gibree added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Bauman started on the bump for the home team and allowed a pair of runs on four hits while striking out five over five innings. Drew Tumbelty (1-0) earned the win in relief as he tossed a scoreless sixth. Isaacson would come on for his second save of the day in the seventh, giving up one hit while striking out one.
Pat Morrow pitched five frames for the Flames and allowed two runs on four hits. Morrow struck out two and walked three. Joe Parete (0-1) gave up two runs in the sixth on a pair of hits.
Pimentel added two more singles in the nightcap and leads the team with a .556 average (5 for 9) to start the season.
