CLEVELAND, Tenn.-Visiting Mars Hill University rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning and handed the Lee University baseball team a 5-4 defeat on Saturday afternoon at Larry Carpenter Stadium. The Lions improved to 2-3 with the win while the Flames dropped to 4-2. The final game of the three-game series is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

After falling 18-4 to the Flames on Friday evening, the Lions came roaring back on Saturday and quickly jumped on top 2-0 in the top of the first inning. Lee cut the margin to 2-1 in the bottom of the second when JJ Williams walked and later scored on an RBI bunt single by Ashton Simmons.

The Flames took a 3-2 lead in the third. Dylan Standifer was hit by a pitch, Brandon Daniels singled and Matthew Batts put down a well-executed bunt that was ruled an error to load the bases. Standifer scored on a wild pitch and Williams drove home Lee's third run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

In the sixth inning, Lee took a 4-2 lead. Williams drew a walk and after Simmons was hit by a pitch, scored on Cam Suto's RBI one-base knock. The Lions would not go away and made it a 4-3 game in the top of the seventh. Toby Troutman walked and took third on Trey Putnam's single. Troutman tallied on a sac-fly by Elec Yount.

The Flames missed an opportunity to put the contest away in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with nobody out after Standifer and Daniels posted base hits. Batts followed with a walk and the sacks were jammed. A pop fly and back-to-back strikeouts ended the scoring threat.

The Lions came alive in the top of the ninth. With one out, Yount stroked a one-base hit and scored the tying run when Zach Weaver had a two-base hit. With two outs, Tai Gilbert produced what turned out to be the game's winning hit when he singled home Weaver to put Mars Hills on top 5-4.

In the bottom of the inning, Lee's first two hitters were retired before Josiah Miller collected his first hit of the day but the game ended on a popup to the shortstop. Mars Hill outhit the Flames 11-7 and Lee left 11 runners on base.

Suto and Daniels were the only Flames with two hits in the loss. Suto, Williams and Simmons drove in runners while Williams scored twice and Standifer and Batts tallied the other Lee runs.

Keegan Gagliardo was the Lee starting pitcher. He worked 3.1 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out five and walking one. Tim Gooden followed for 1.2 frames and was solid. He did not give up a hit or earned run while fanning three and walking one. Frankie Volkers pitched two innings and allowed a hit and an earned run. Cole Matthaidess followed for 0.2 batters and allowed a hit and a walk. Hunter Lane was charged with the loss. In 1.1 innings, Lane surrendered three hits and two earned runs.

Putnam, Yount and James had two hits each for Mars Hill. Yount had the big day with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Weaver and Alex Naran also had two-base hits for the Lions.

Grady Bivens started and gave Mars Hill five innings of two-hit ball. He allowed three earned runs, walked four and struck out three. Brady Stephens came on for an inning while it was Nate Grissey who took control of the game for the Lions picked up the pitching win. In three innings, he gave up four hits, no earned runs, struck out four and walked one.

Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:

I feel we pitched well enough to win, but my hats off to Mars Hill. They battled throughout, made some big pitches and got the big 2 out swings late. We will regroup and get ready to find a way to get the series tomorrow. It's another opportunity for us to respond.