Playing before an overflow crowd consisting of dignitaries and former Lee baseball players and coaches on hand for the dedication of the new stadium, the Flames earned a split with 12th-ranked Delta State University on Saturday afternoon at Olympic Field.
The Flames stunned the visiting Statesmen with a run-rule, eight-innings 13-3 victory in the opener but Delta State claimed the nightcap by a 4-0 margin. The two teams will tangle again on Sunday at 1 p.m. as they decide which club will win the three-game Gulf South Conference series.
The Statesmen improved to 25-10, 14-8 GSC. The Flames stand at 17-20 and 8-10 in the all-important conference standings. "We have a chance to take the series against a really good Delta State team tomorrow. It will not be easy, but I like the way we played today and if we bring that same grit tomorrow I know we can get this important series," said Lee head coach Mark Brew after the split of the twinbill.
LEE 13, DELTA STATE 3
Lee played a version of "small-ball" in the opener, putting six runs on the board in the sixth inning and then closing out the contest in the seventh by plating five more runs. The Flames sent 10 men to the plate in the sixth and put down bunt after bunt by Keyshaun Smith, Parker Stahlman and Tyler Payne. The end result was six big runs to take the Statesmen out of the battle and give Lee an 8-3 lead.
In the seventh, Ryan Beamish and Thomas Lazzaro walked to load the bases. Miguel Pimentel ended the contest at that point by drilling a long home run over the left-field wall, giving Lee the walk-off and the final 13-3 margin.
Pimentel finished the game with two hits and four RBI. Lazzaro followed with two hits, two walks, three runs scored and two RBI. Alan Smith added a pair of hits plus a RBI. Beamish and Stahlman each registered two hits, scored twice and collected RBIs. Justin Fragale contributed two hits and a RBI. The bottom of the batting order produced five of Lee's 14 hits and also scored five runs.
Logan Workman started and pitched the first 5 1/3 innings for the Flames. He gave up five hits, three earned runs, walked three and struck out four. Randall Coxwell came on for 1 2/3 innings and picked up his second win of the year. He did not allow a hit or a run, while recording a strikeout. The Statesmen used four hurlers with their ace Hunter Riggins taking the loss.
"What a tremendous job offensively we were able to do in the first game," commented Coach Brew. "We swung the bat well throughout the lineup, but I also thought we put a lot of pressure on them with the bunt game. Not many teams will ever say they run-ruled Delta State. Additionally, we played well defensively and Workman and Coxwell gave us some excellent innings."
DELTA STATE 4, LEE 0
The left-handed pitching of Delta State's Seth Hougesen slammed the door on the Flames in the nightcap. The lefty worked all seven innings, scattering seven hits, walking two and fanning seven. Sophomore Alex Butler started for the Flames and was charged with the loss. In three innings he surrendered five hits, three earned runs, issued three free passes and fanned two. Brandon Thompson came on in relief and hurled excellent ball for Lee. In four innings the right-hander did not allow a hit or a run. He walked one and struck out four.
The Statesmen took advantage of five hits. Peyton Lane delivered the longest home run of the day, a solo shot in the third inning. The visitors tallied single runs in the second and third innings and then closed out the game with two runs in the fourth.
Lee threatened in the third inning by loading the bases on hits by Pimentel, Alan Smith and a walk to Fragale. The threat ended on a strikeout. The Flames out-hit the Statesmen 7-5. Pimentel had two more hits while Payne, Alan Smith, Fragale and Keyshaun Smith collected the other hits. Lee's Keyshaun Smith doubled while DSU's Will Myers also doubled and David Herrington tripled home a run.
"I thought we had some good swings against Hougeson early, but give him credit as he was able to make some big pitches with runners on to keep us from breaking through," noted Coach Brew. "Butler battled on the mound and I thought Thompson really had a nice outing in relief."
