HARROGATE, Tennessee – Host Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and handed the Lee baseball team a 9-8 defeat on the artificial turf at Lamar Hennon Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The loss moved the Flames to 8-6 overall while LMU improved to 6-9. Lee will continue its road adventures and return to GSC action on Saturday and Sunday, traveling to Memphis and facing Christian Brothers.

"It was back and forth all day and we got some big hits and did a solid job offensively.  We pitched well in moments, but a few freebies and two-strike hits really hurt us in some spots. We will work in practice to continue to clean some areas up, but it's time to focus on our second GSC weekend at Christian Brothers," noted coach Mark Brew after the loss.

The Flames jumped out in front 4-0 over the second and third innings before the Railsplitters put a five spot on the board in the bottom of the third for a 5-4 lead. In the second inning Justin Fragale put down a bunt and scored on Justen Freeman's double down the left-field line. In the third, Parker Stahlman singled, Alan Smith walked and Ryan Beamish reached on an error that scored Stahlman. Smith later scored on a wild pitch and Dylan Standifer came up with the first of his two key hits to cap off the three-run inning.

In the bottom of the third, Brent Richey picked up a RBI single before Nate Stinson drilled a three-run homer over the left-field wall. Scooter Ray joined the act with a one-base hit that gave the Railsplitters the 5-4 lead.

Both clubs went scoreless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before it was Lee's turn to recapture the lead in the top of the seventh. Luke Hughes was hit by a pitch and scored on Beamish's single. Standifer followed with a two-run homer to help give the Flames the lead, 7-6. LMU tied the game in the bottom of the seventh and then went on top 9-7 in its half of the eighth.

The damage started with a hit batsman. Stinson singled and Tyler Adams doubled to left, plating two runs. After another hit batter and a walk, Brandon Bolt came in to pitch with the sacks jammed. He was able to retire the first hitter he faced before surrendering a walk that pushed a LMU insurance run across the plate.

The Flames tried to rally back in the top of the ninth. Hughes reached on an error and Beamish drilled a single that scored Hughes. The LMU pitcher got a strikeout and a ground out to end the contest. The Flames collected nine hits. Beamish, Standifer and Freeman posted two hits each. Beamish and Hughes scored a pair of runs while Beamish and Standifer drove in five of Lee's eight runs.

The Flames used six pitchers. Thomas Zazzaro started and worked 2.2 innings. He allowed seven hits, five earned runs, struck out two and walked one. Randall Coxwell followed for 2.1 innings. He gave up three hits and no runs. Tyler Fairchild followed for 0.2 innings and allowed a hit and walked two. Seth Konkel (0-1) entered for 1.2 innings. The lefty gave up three hits and four earned runs. He was charged with the loss. Michael Hendricks came on to face a batter and issued a free pass before Brandon Bolt went to the hump for 0.2 innings and worked the Flames out of a jam.

LMU used eight pitchers. The first six hurlers pitched no more than two innings before Eli Wright entered in the seventh and over 2.2 innings gave up just one hit, one run and struck out four in picking up his second win of the year.