SAINT LEO, Fla. – After a sluggish start offensively to the season the Lee baseball bats came alive in a 12-4 win on Sunday to hand Saint Leo its first loss of the year.
Ryan Beamish led the 15-hit explosion with a double, two singles and five RBI. Miguel Pimentel kept his bat on fire with three hits and three RBI including the first home run of the year for the Flames, as he drilled a solo shot to left in the eighth inning.
The Flames jumped on the board with a single run in the third before blowing things open with a six-run fourth inning.
Jordan Howard singled twice and scored three times playing while Fernando Ortiz added three hits and drove in two.
"What a difference a day makes. I was really proud of our hitters today. As I mentioned yesterday, I thought we started to show the signs offensively of breaking through. Today, it all came together as we got production throughout the lineup," said a pleased head coach Mark Brew. "Ryan Beamish gave us a huge lift in the DH spot and we are getting healthier as a team with Pimentel and Jordan Howard back in the lineup after early season injuries."
Jumpei Akanuma was the beneficiary of the run-support on the mound for Lee as he improved to 1-0 tossing 6.1 innings allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two and walking three.
Jay Prior, Thomas Zazzaro and Logan Workman combined for 2.2 innings of relief work and allowed two hits and one run.
"Akanuma gave us another great start pitching deep into the game and we were able to get a look at a few younger guys late to continue to build pitching depth," noted Brew. "It's a big week coming up with five games. Our pitching staff will be stretched and I'm excited to get them out on the field."
Zach Scott tripled in the contest for the Lions and Petyon Isaacson hit his second home run of the series with a solo shot in the eighth.
Joey Antonopoulous (0-1) started and was one of seven Saint Leo pitches to work in the game. Antonopoulous gave up five runs on five hits and was chased with no one out in the fourth inning.
The win draws the Flames back to even on the year at 3-3. The loss drops the Lions to 4-1.
Lee will get back to Olympic Field for a Tuesday afternoon affair with Young Harris College at 3 p.m. On Thursday the Flames embark south for a four-game road trip beginning Thursday at Albany State before a weekend set at Florida Southern.
