Tweet #FiredUp

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Lee Flames moved within one game of qualifying for the upcoming Gulf South Conference tournament by edging Auburn Montgomery, a long-time NAIA rival and new member of the GSC, 7-6 on Friday evening.
 
"We got off to a great start, but couldn't cash in on a few opportunities with runners in scoring position to put them away. We also had an inning where we had some defensive lapses that allowed them some momentum," noted Lee head coach Mark Brew after his team improved to 11-14 in conference play and 23-24 overall.
 
"Overall, we did what we had to do. It's a road win in the GSC and those are never easy, so our guys need to be commended for finding a way.  We have everything in front of us tomorrow and we need to get solid pitching from (Alex) Butler and the rest of the staff," commented Brew. Saturday's doubleheader is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch.

Sophomore Logan Workman pitched the opening 6.1 innings and picked up the win to improve his record to 4-3 on the year. He allowed three earned runs, seven hits, two walks and fanned seven. Randall Coxwell came on for the final 2.2 innings, surrendering two earned runs, three hits and striking out four. He picked up his second save of the season.
 
"Workman and Coxwell did a nice job minimizing damage and made some big pitches when needed," the coach added.
 
Lee pounded out 13 hits with Alan Smith and Parker Stahlman garnering three knocks apiece. Smith drove in two runs. Thomas Zazzaro doubled to go along with a single and scored twice. Fernando Ortiz also tallied twice while Justin Fragale delivered two hits and a RBI. Landon Silver joined the act with one hit, a RBI and a run scored, while Keyshaun Smith scored once.
 
"We got some big innings early on the offensive side. Fragale, Stahlman and (Alan) Smith had nice days at the plate. "Miggy" (Pimentel) got the big homer that ended up being the difference maker," injected the skipper. Pimentel's 13^th homer of the year in the top of the eighth inning turned out to be the game winner.  
 
Dalton Cobb made things interesting by drilling a pair of home runs and a double in a perfect four-hit performance. Jonathan Brandt had two hits, a double and two RBI, while Quinterrious Arrington banged out three hits, scored a run and posted a RBI. Josh Flowers was the starting and losing AUM hurler. Four other Warhawks followed him to the rubber.
 
The Flames wasted no time in putting three runs on the board in the first inning. Zazzaro doubled and Ortiz went down swinging but reached on the third strike wild pitch.  Pimentel was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Alan Smith walked to push Zazzaro across the dish. Fragale singled home Ortiz and Silver recorded the final RBI of the inning on a groundout that plated Pimentel.
 
Two more runs in the second made it a 5-0 margin.  Stahlman and Zazzaro got free passes. Ortiz reached on a fielder's choice bunt to load the sacks again. Pimentel's fly ball was deep enough to score Stahlman and Alan Smith followed with a RBI single. Another run in the third made it 6-0. Silver banged out a hit. Keyshaun Smith was safe on error and a double-play ball by Ryan Beamish scored Silver.
 
The Warhawks cut the margin to 6-1 in the bottom of fourth on a homer by Cobb. Two errors by Flames helped AUM trim the lead to 6-3 in bottom of fifth and the second homerun of the game by Cobb drew AUM even closer at 6-4.
 
Coxwell came on in relief of Workman in the bottom of the seventh and quickly fanned two Warhawk batters to retire the side.

AUM fought back in the bottom of the eighth inning and cut the margin to 7-6. Cobb continued his big night at the plate stroking his fourth hit of the game, a double. Jonathan Brandt delivered a two RBI single to draw the Warhawks closer. Coxwell got out of the jam in the eighth and retired AUM to end the game in the bottom of the ninth.