CLEVELAND, Tenn.-In the highest scoring game since the Lee baseball team left the NAIA and joined NCAA D2 play, the Flames and visiting Montevallo University battled for over 210 minutes, collected 33 hits and scored 35 runs before the Falcons tallied six runs in the top of the ninth inning in a wild 19-16 GSC Thursday evening victory.
A total of six pitchers were used by Montevallo and the Flames sent four hurlers to the mound. The game was tied only once and the lead changed hands three times before the Falcons seized control in the final inning.
The Flames jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the first by collecting four hits. Noah Hattier walked, Dylan Standifer singled and Josiah Miller drew a base on balls to load the bases. Brandon Daniels, who finished the game with four hits including a double, singled to knock in two runs. Malachi Cloud followed with a one-base blow and Riley Black plated two more runs with a base hit. The fifth of the frame scored on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Quinones.
A pair of errors helped the Falcons jump out to a 7-5 lead in the top of the second inning. Asa Awbrey and Zen Hiatt doubled in the inning and Awbrey drove in a pair of runs. The inning also finished the appearance of Lee starting pitcher Cameron Land who deserved better. In 1.2 innings, he allowed five hits and only one earned run.
Lee rallied to cut the lead to 12-10 with three runs in the fourth inning. Cam Suto blasted a long two-run homer while Hattier, Daniels, Cloud and Quinones singled in the inning but the Flames left the bases loaded. Standifer and Miller scored runs while Cloud posted an RBI in the frame.
Lee added a solo run in the sixth inning when Miller homered, but the big damage came in the seventh inning when the Flames sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs to take a 16-13 lead. Sam Fulton came on in his first relief appearance and retired Montevallo in order in the seventh and eighth innings.
In the top of the ninth the Falcons responded with three straight singles and the Flames went to the bullpen and called on Tim Gooden. Ben Teel walked to push a Montevallo runner across the plate. With one out, Reed Lattimer crushed the Lee hopeful when he lifted a high fly ball over the left-center-field wall for the grand slam homer. Awbrey, who finished with four hits, five RBI and scored three runs, followed with a solo homer to put the visitors on top for good 19-16.
Connor Phela, who was the sixth pitcher of the game for Montevallo, worked 2.2 innings and got credit for the win. Gooden (2-3) took the loss. Colt McKibben pitched 3.1 innings for the Flames. He allowed six hits and six earned runs. In his three innings, Fulton gave up three hits and three earned runs.
The two clubs are scheduled to return to action on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
