YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Eleventh-ranked Young Harris College handed the Lee baseball team a 6-4 defeat on Tuesday afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field. The Mountain Lions improved to 34-14 while the Flames dropped to 25-21.
"We played a pretty clean game overall and hit some hard balls they were able to track down," pointed out Lee coach Mark Brew. "We scattered most our hits and a couple of double plays hurt us in the end. Our pitching was solid and gave us a chance today."
The Flames jumped on top 1-0 in the first inning. Nate Bynum singled, took second on a wild pitch and later scored on a one-base hit by Cam Suto. Lee fell behind 6-1 before scoring again. In the seventh the Flames cut the lead to 6-4. Matthew Batts started the three-run rally with a double. Gavin Baxter singled and Ashton Simmons picked up an RBI with a sac fly. Dylan Standifer garnered a one-base knock to keep the rally going and Suto collected his second and third RBI of the afternoon with a double.
Lee threatened again in the eighth inning by loading the bases but a double-play by the Mountain Lions wiped out any hopes of a comeback. The Flames out-hit Young Harris 14-11 with Suto leading the way. Bynum, Standifer and Baxter had two hits apiece. Simmons doubled and Brandon Daniels, Josiah Miller and JD Williams had one hit each.
Colt McKibben was the starting and losing Lee pitcher. He worked a pair of innings and allowed three hits and no earned runs. David White followed for two solid innings and did not give up a run. Sean Casteel was next and surrendered three runs on three hits. Brycen Jewell pitched an inning and allowed two hits and an earned run. Greyson Linderman was sharp for the final three innings. He did not give up a run and struck out three while walking one.
Marco Colina and Dawson Barnes homered and drove in two runs for the Mountain Lions. James Basham posted a three-hit day and collected an RBI. Ryan Cross pitched the first four innings for Young Harris and got the win. He gave up only one run and fanned four. Nate Lamb was the last of four pitchers. He was credited with the save after 2.1 innings.
"It's time to turn our focus to Shorter. It will be a great series and our guys will be ready," as Coach Brew turned his focus to the GSC series with Shorter slated for Friday and Saturday at Larry Carpenter Stadium.
The Flames will have plenty at stake as they close out the regular season. Five teams have already claimed their place in the annual eight-team conference tournament which will be held in Oxford, Alabama on May 4-9. Four other clubs are battling for the remaining three spots – one will be left at home!
The Hawks will enter the series with a 14-12 conference record and in sixth place in the standings. Lee is right behind, having played one more game (14-13), followed by Delta State (12-14) and West Alabama (12-15). Delta State has a series remaining at rival Mississippi College and West Alabama will host Union.
Coach Brew pulls no punches and states it very simple as far as his team is concerned. "Win two and we are in, other than that we will be awaiting scores from the Delta @ Miss. College and West Alabama @ Union games. We control our destiny." Of course with rain predicted to move into the region on Wednesday and not move out until late Saturday it will be interesting to see how that all plays out.
