Rome, Ga. - Jack Nedrow pitched seven strong innings and catcher Brock Sisson ripped a pair of home runs in leading Lee's baseball team to a GSC season-opening victory over host Shorter University on Friday afternoon, 10-3.
The hard-throwing Nedrow delivered seven quality innings in picking up the win. He threw 99 pitches, giving up five hits, two earned, walking two and striking out 10 Hawk batters.
Sisson, a red-shirt sophomore, finished the day with three hits, including his first two homers of the year. He added three RBI in pacing Lee's 10-hit attack. Brantley Cutler would also go deep for the first time this season. Luke Collier and Dylan Standifer tallied two runs apiece.
After loading the bases without an out in the first inning and failing to score, the Flames sent nine hitters to the plate in the second inning and put four runs on the board. JJ Williams walked to begin the frame and Sisson followed with a two-run blast to put Lee on top 2-0. Cutler made it a back-to-back afternoon with his first four-bagger of the season.
The Flames were not done. Collier and Standifer drew free passes and Brandon Daniels ripped an RBI single up the middle to put Lee on top 4-0.
In the fourth inning the lead grew to 4-0 when Standifer was walked for the second time and scored on Cam Suto's double.
Shorter battled back with a pair of runs in the sixth. Griffin Clark reached on a walk and Hawks' power hitter Levi Maddlea posted a two-run homer. Sisson's hot bat continued to work as he rocketed his second home run of the afternoon, a solo shot that put the Flames on top 6-2. The Hawks would cut the margin to 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth, but this contest belonged to Lee.
The Flames salted the victory away with four runs in the ninth and made it a 10-3 advantage. Ashton Simmons got things going with his one-base hit. Collier doubled and Standifer was safe on an error to load the bases.
Daniels collected a run-batted-in when his walk scored Simmons. The rally continued as Josiah Miller drilled a two-base hit that plated Collier and Standifer.
The Hawks used seven pitchers in the loss. Simon Aluko was charged with the defeat. He hurled only one inning, throwing 25 pitches, allowing three walks and one earned run.
Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:
"It was a good start to the conference for us with a win against an always tough Shorter team. We missed some opportunities to get a larger lead early but continued to put together competitive at bats. Brock gave us a huge lift offensively and Nedrow once again gave us a great start."
