PENSACOLA, Florida -The second-ranked Lee baseball team was guilty of three errors that led to a pair of unearned runs by host and eighth-ranked West Florida on Friday evening at Jim Spooner Field. At the same time the Argonauts were collecting 11 hits off four Lee pitchers in claiming the opening game of the three-game series 7-2.

While the Flames were struggling in the field, their bats were also uncommonly cold as they collected only three hits and suffered their fifth loss of the season against 32 victories. They will take a 26-4 conference record against West Florida (27-8, 26-8) in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Both teams scored single runs in the first inning before the host club took a 3-1 lead in the third. The Flames fought back and cut the lead to 3-2 but the Argos plated solo runs in the fifth and sixth and then iced the contest with a pair of runs in the eighth.

"West Florida pressured us and we didn't go a good job with it," stated Lee coach Mark Brew after the loss. "Our defense had letdowns and that is uncharacteristic of our team. We will regroup and I expect us to play better tomorrow."

Riley Black homered in the fifth inning for one of Lee's runs. Thomas Zazzaro singled and scored once. Ryan Beamish contributed a one-base hit for the Flames to cap off the evening.

Ninth-place hitter True Fontenot had three hits and scored a pair of runs to lead the Argos. Miller Hancock followed with two hits while Jason Roberts and Justin Dunnam doubled in the win.

Alex Harper-Cook (4-2) was the starting and losing Lee pitcher. In 4.1 innings he surrendered six hits for only one earned run. Andrew Franklin appeared for 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and an earned run. Alan Rickman followed for 1.2 innings and allowed two hits and a pair of earned runs. Michael Hendricks followed for 0.1 innings to wrap up the evening for the Lee pitchers.

West Florida got seven solid innings from Evan Floyd (7-1). He allowed just three hits, two earned runs, fanned five and walked three. Brendon Case came on for the final two innings and picked up his fifth save of the year. He did not allow a hit while striking out two.