ROME, Georgia – After losing the opening game of a Saturday doubleheader 6-4, the Lee University baseball team came back to win the second contest 12-3 and win the three-game series with host Shorter University 2-1.
Lee improved its record to 6-3 overall while Shorter drops to 6-2. The Flames will return to action on Tuesday and face Carson-Newman University at Larry Carpenter Stadium (3 p.m.).
Game 2 – Lee 12, Shorter 3
The Flames wasted no time in jumping on top by a 5-0 score in the top of the first inning. The Hawks fought back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Lee added two more runs in the top of the second and then scored a single run in the fourth and put the contest out of reach with three tallies in the sixth.
Matthew Batts made the best of his two hits in the win. He had a double and single that plated five big runs. He also scored a run that helped account for six tallies on the afternoon.
Cam Suto added two hits and scored three big runs. JJ Williams delivered a two-run homer while Brandon Daniels posted a hit, an RBI and scored twice. Dylan Standifer crossed the plate twice and Ashton Simmons scored once in the victory.
Nelson Smith was the starting and winning Lee pitcher. He worked five innings and allowed one earned run on five hits, walking six and striking out five. Zach Lawson came on for an inning and fanned two while Hunter Lane finished the game and gave up two hits and an earned run.
Justin Barnes banged out four straight hits for the losing Hawks and picked up an RBI. Levi Maddela doubled and scored a pair of runs. Shorter used seven pitchers in the loss. Tanner Folds was the starter and losing pitcher. He was lifted after one inning, allowing seven earned runs on four hits.
Game 1 – Shorter 6, Lee 4
The Hawks claimed a 3-1 lead in the contest after five innings of play. The Flames battled back and grabbed a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh only to see Shorter reclaim a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the same inning and go onto the 6-4 win.
Overall, the Flames had nine hits and left nine runners on base. Standifer collected his first home run of the year and finished a big game with two hits and four RBI in the loss. Simmons followed with two hits and a run scored while Daniels continued his hard-hitting ways with a pair of singles. Isaiah French had a two-base hit and Luke Collier scored twice and posted a single.
Keegan Gagliardo started and pitched six innings. He gave up six hits, six earned runs, struck out six and allowed one walk. David White ran into trouble in the seventh. In one inning, he surrendered two hits, walked two and allowed three earned runs. He was charged with the loss.
Griffin Clark, as usual, was the Hawk leader. He banged out a single and a double and was credited with two RBI. Thomas Schroeder IV followed with two hits and a run scored while Jacob Pajer collected a two-base hit, knocked in a run and scored once. Cole Taylor had a hit and crossed the plate twice.
Seth Crowe pitched the first 6.1 innings and allowed seven hits and four earned runs. He struck out five and walked two. Blayne Fritcher got credit for the win. In 2.2 innings he gave up only two hits, allowing no earned runs, walking two and striking out two.
Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:
"Anytime you win a GSC road series it's a big accomplishment, but we had an opportunity to sweep the series. Keegan (Gagliardo) and Nelson (Smith) both gave us great starts (on Saturday), but we had some strike-throwing issues in the bullpen in game one.
"Our offense showed some resiliency finding a way to get the lead in game one on (Dylan) Standifer's home run. He has had some hard outs, so it was nice to see him get some of them to drop in game one.
"In game two, we were able to capitalize on some freebies and ride the big first inning to a win over a very good pitcher in (Tanner) Folds. We will reset and get ready for another big week with Carson Newman and Valdosta coming to town."
