Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLEVELAND, Tenn.-The Lee baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with visiting Mars Hill College, winning the first game 9-7 and losing the nightcap 6-5. The Flames and Lions are scheduled to close out the three-game series in a single nine-inning game on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.). 

"We are having a difficult time holding leads thus far this year," said Coach Mark Brew after his Flames suffered the second-game loss. "Our hats off to Mars Hill as they kept pressuring us and got big hits to get them back in both games. 

"We have to find a way to scratch a series tomorrow. Nothing is easy right now and it is likely to be a sloppy, cold day to test the mental toughness of both teams," added the Lee coach. 

Game One – Lee 9, Mars Hill 7 

The Flames went to work in the first inning and put six runs on the board and then had to turn back a rally by the Lions to secure the victory. Sam Fulton pitched five innings and allowed five hits and struck out nine to pick up his second win of the year. Lee also improved its record to 2-3.  

Freshman Malachi Cloud blasted a grand-slam homer in the first inning to put the wrapping on the big inning. Josiah Miller picked up an RBI while Brandon Daniels, Dylan Standifer, Cam Suto, Luke Hughes and Riley Black produced runs in the frame. 

The Flames scored again in the third inning when Miller homered. They added another run in the eighth inning. Nate Bynum had a bunt single and scored on Daniels RBI hit. The final run came in the eighth. Hughes was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Cloud. 

Cole Matthaidess, Tim Gooden and Hunter Lane followed Fulton to the mound. Lane picked up the safe after working 1.1 innings. He did not allow a hit, walked two and struck out one. 

Brian Smart was the starting and losing Mars Hill pitcher. Tyler Sellers had two hits, including a home run and drove in three runs for the Lions. Luke Hayes had two hits and an RBI. Trevor Bailey finished with two hits and two runs scored. Dawson Connell had a hit and two RBI and scored once. 

Game Two: Mars Hill 6, Lee 5 

 The Flames jumped on top 5-0 after three innings and then left the bases loaded in the fourth inning. In the fifth, they had runners on first and second with no one out. Three straight strikeouts followed, meaning the Flames had left five men on base without producing a run. 

In the meantime, the Lions came roaring back. Four runs in the top of the fourth inning made it a 5-5 game and then in the top of the sixth Mars Hill enjoyed its first lead of the entire day by scoring a single run and holding on to post the win. 

Sellers drove in four runs in the victory. He had a sacrifice fly that produced a run in the second and a key three-run homer in the fourth. Bailey had a four-bagger to give the Lions back-to-back homers. The final Mars Hill run also came on Zach Weaver's go-ahead homerun in the sixth.     

Jake Wagoner came on in relief and pitched 3.2 innings of sparkling baseball to earn the pitching win. He allowed only one hit and struck out seven while walking two. Jack Nedrow was the starting Lee pitcher. He hurled 3.1 innings and gave up four hits, four earned runs, fanned two and walked one. Keegan Gagliardo worked 3.2 innings and gave up two hits, one earned run, struck out two and walked one. He was charged with the loss. 

The Flames had eight hits in the loss. Daniels had a pair of doubles and an RBI. Miller had a two-run homer and finished with two hits. Standifer blasted a homerun that scored two while Luke Collier and Adam Goolsby had Lee's other hits.