CLEVELAND, Tenn.-After dropping the first game of a Saturday doubleheader to Union University 6-5, the Lee baseball team won the three-game series (2-1) by claiming the final game 10-2. The win evens the Flames important GSC record at 12-12 and they stand 23-18 overall. The visiting Bulldogs stand at 8-16, 13-24.
Saturday's action was a part of the annual Military Appreciation Day and was held on Olympic Field inside Larry Carpenter Stadium. A record number of area veterans were on hand to be honored before the contests. Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis delivered a message of appreciation to the veterans and their families. The Voices of Lee presented the "Armed Forces Medley" and the national anthem. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by Vietnam veteran LaVoy Jones.
"What a great day to celebrate our men and women who have served," said Lee coach Mark Brew after the long day ended. "We would like to have swept, but I am proud of the team's response in game two. We control our own destiny, but we need to clean up our defense. We have a big week on the road at Trevecca and Christian Brothers."
Game 1 – Union 6, Lee 5
The Bulldogs held a 5-1 lead and seemed to be in control heading into the bottom of the eighth inning when the Flames exploded for four runs to tie the game.
With one out in the eighth, Josiah Miller walked and Brandon Daniels singled. Union made a pitching change and Lane Evans came on to replace Eli Snelson who had held the Flames to only one run at that point. Malachi Cloud drew a walk to load the bases and Riley Black made it a 5-2 game when he also picked up a free pass, collecting an RBI.
Catcher Isaac Quinones lifted a fly ball to center that plated Daniels and made it a 5-3 game. The excitement grew when Luke Hughes singled up the middle and the ball got past the Union center-fielder, rolling all the way to the wall. Black scored on the error to tie the game at five and Hughes raced around the bases. A perfect relay throw nailed the sliding Hughes at the plate to end the frame and leave the contest deadlocked.
The Bulldogs came fighting back in the top of the ninth inning. Grant Ross walked and three straight singles by Lake Barrett, Caden Cutrell and Trey Frierson pushed Ross across the plate with the go-ahead run.
The Flames managed only six hits in the loss while the Bulldogs pounded out 15. Barrett had a two-run homer in the second inning. Cutrell, Alec Hardy and Frierson had three hits each, all singles. Noah Hattier had a double and single for the Flames and Daniels was the only other Lee player with more than one hit in the loss.
Jack Nedrow was the starting Lee pitcher. He gave up nine hits but only two earned runs as the Flames were guilty of two big errors. Two of the miscues came when the Bulldogs put two runs on the board with two outs in the fifth inning. Nedrow struck out six and did not walk a batter.
Sean Casteel pitched two innings and allowed an earned run. He fanned six and also did not surrender a walk. Greyson Linderman (3-3) hurled the final inning and was charged with the loss. He gave up two hits and no earned runs. Again, the Flames were guilty of costly error in the ninth.
Union used four pitchers. Snelson battled for 7.1 innings and allowed six hits and two earned runs. Dylan Thomas (2-0) only retired two batters but got credit for the win. Ryan Evans came on for the ninth inning and was perfect in picking up the save.
Game 2 – Lee 10, Union 2
The second game was an entirely different story as the Flames put five big runs on the board in the first inning and never looked back. Dylan Standifer and Cam Suto got the ball rolling with one-base hits. With one out, Miller walked to load the bases.
Cloud, who joined Standifer and Quinones with big afternoons in the win, delivered a one-base hit that drove home two runs. Quinones did even better, ripping a three-run homer over the left-centerfield wall making it 5-0.
The Bulldogs cut the margin to 5-1 in the second. Mitch Sisk doubled and scored on a single by Ross. The Flames would strike right back and increase the lead to 7-1 in the bottom half of the same inning. Nate Bynum walked and with one out Standifer promptly drilled a shot over the left-field wall.
The scoring was not done for the Flames as the margin increased to 8-1 in the third. Cloud continued his fine afternoon with a two-base hit, stole third and then scored as Quinones collected his fourth RBI of the game on a sac fly to center.
Union added their final score of the afternoon in the fourth. Sisk doubled and tallied on Ross' second hit of the day. All totaled the Bulldogs were held to just six hits by four Lee pitchers. Ross was the only Union hitter with more than one hit in the loss.
Frankie Volkers started and worked 3.1 innings for the Flames. He gave up five hits and two earned runs while striking out three and not allowing a free pass. Colt McKibben (1-0) got credit for the win. He pitched 1.2 innings and allowed one hit. He did not allow a run, walked two and struck out two. Jax Howard got one inning of work. He did not allow a hit and walked one batter. Hunter Lane came on to finish the day. In one frame, he pitched hitless ball, did not allow a run, fanned two and walked one.
