LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Lee and West Alabama split a Gulf South Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Tartt Field. The two clubs will be back in action to decide the three-game series on Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. The Flames are 15-11 overall and 6-5 in GSC play. The Tigers are 12-12, 8-6.
"It is a tough environment at West Alabama and I'm proud of the way our guys battled in game one. They fought hard and came up with some clutch hits in the ninth," commented Coach Mark Brew.
"We tip our caps to West Alabama and will get ready to go tomorrow and find a way to get the series."
Game 1 – Lee 12, West Alabama 9
The Flames banged out 10 hits in the opening victory. Six of the 10 hits went for extra bases. Brandon Daniels ripped a pair of solo homers while Dylan Standifer and Josiah Miller also went deep. Daniels now has seven homers on the year while Standifer and Miller have six apiece.
Lee fell behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning but came back in the top of the second to jump on top 6-2. Daniels got things going with a four-bagger. Riley Black singled while Nate Hattier put down a sacrifice bunt. Nate Bynum also put down a sac bunt that went for a one-base hit and an RBI. Luke Hughes tripled and scored a run and Standifer knocked in a run with a one-base hit.
The Flames tacked on a single run in the third when Daniels walked, went to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a sac fly by JJ Williams. The Tigers took an 8-7 lead by scoring two runs in the fifth and four runs in the sixth.
Lee regained the lead in the seventh when Hughes walked and Standifer delivered a two-run homer. After West Alabama put a run on the board in the bottom half of the same inning, the Flames were finally able to salt the victory away with three big runs in the top of the ninth. Cam Suto walked and Lee played long-ball when Miller and Daniels blasted back-to-back four-baggers.
While Standifer and Daniels were leading the way with two hits, Suto doubled and Hughes scored twice to go along with his triple. The Tigers had three extra-base hits. Michael Rich had a homer and knocked in two runs while Josh Power also had a double, a homerun and scored twice. All totaled, West Alabama had seven hits.
The Flames used three pitchers in the win. Cameron Land started and worked five innings. He allowed only four hits and four earned runs. Greyson Linderman (3-1) came on for three innings and picked up the win. He allowed three hits and only one earned run. Hunter Lane came on for an inning and picked up his fourth save of the year.
Game 2 – West Alabama 3, Lee 1
The second game was an entirely different story. West Alabama pitching ace Jacob Smith (5-2) worked the entire seven-inning contest, allowing just one hit. "Smith pitched well in the nightcap and we had a hard time finding any momentum against him. When we did, he was able to come up with a big out," said Coach Brew in praising the 6-foot-7 lefty.
On the other hand, Lee's Jack Nedrow ran into problems in the second and third innings when he allowed a pair of runs. All totaled the right-hander pitched 4.2 innings and gave up five hits and three earned runs. He walked five and struck out six. Keegan Gagliardo pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up just one hit and struck out a pair.
Lee scored its only run in the top of the first inning. Standifer, who had Lee's only hit, singled and Suto and Daniels walked to load the bases. Standifer came home to score on a wild pitch.
The Flames were able to load the bases in the top of the sixth inning with one out but were unable to score. Blake Vineyard had two hits and scored a run for West Alabama while Colden Peoples added a double and single in the victory. Jake Nemith scored two of the three Tiger runs.
