Visiting Auburn Montgomery made the best of just six hits on Friday afternoon in posting a 4-2 victory over Lee University at Larry Carpenter Stadium. The Warhawks improved to 12-7 overall and 2-2 in GSC play. The Flames slipped to 8-8 and 2-4. The two clubs will return to Olympic Field on Saturday at noon for a doubleheader.
The Flames jumped on top 2-0 in the third inning and held the lead until the visiting Warhawks pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the contest at two and then tallied two more in the top of the ninth to salt the key victory away.
The Flames got 6.2 innings of solid mound work from Cameron Land. The red-shirt sophomore allowed four hits and no earned runs. He struck out three and walked one. "Cameron Land gave us a great start, but we gave up too many freebies late in a tight ballgame. They did a great job minimizing some situations and getting big double plays to keep us from extending the lead. Our defense had some tough moments today as well and hopefully we can clean that up tomorrow," commented Lee Coach Mark Brew. The Lee defense was guilty of four errors.
Tim Gooden was also solid in 1.1 innings. The freshman surrendered one hit. Brycen Jewell appeared for 0.1 innings and gave up a pair of runs, walked a couple and was charged with the loss. Red-shirt sophomore Sean Casteel finished the afternoon on the mound for the Flames and in 0.2 innings allowed a hit.
At the same time, Auburn Montgomery was using five pitchers. Luke Turner appeared for four innings and did not allow an earned run. He walked two and struck out two. Michael Myers followed for 2.2 innings and surrendered two hits. Lefty Mason Elmore was next and in 0.2 innings allowed a hit and struck out two big batters. Sam Steigert was credited for the victory after his 0.2 innings and Clayton Stagle got the save when he posted all three outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Nate Bynum reached on an error in the third inning, went to second on a sac bunt by Thomas Zazzaro and scored on an RBI single by Dylan Standifer. Isaac Quinones ripped a single with a one-base hit that plated Standifer but that marked all Lee's scoring for the afternoon. The Flames left nine runners on base.
Quinones and Luke Hughes had three hits for the Flames while Standifer and Bynum had the others. Brody Syer singled and tripled for Auburn Montgomery's only player with two hits. Zach Dew had a one-base hit, scored a run and collected an RBI. Joseph Hartsfield had a hit and RBI as did Clayton Phillips.
