CLEVELAND, Tenn.-Colt McKibben pitched five innings of three-hit ball while Matthew Batts and JJ Williams combined to score seven of Lee's nine runs and Luke Collier knocked in four runs with three hits in a 9-4 victory over Carson-Newman University at Larry Carpenter Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

The Flames will jump right back into conference action on Friday and Saturday when they host Valdosta State University. Friday's single game is slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch while Saturday's doubleheader action will get underway at 1 p.m.  

The lefty McKibben picked up his first pitching win of the year. He faced only 17 batters in five innings, struck out eight, and did not walk an Eagle batter. Batts delivered a double and a home run in two official trips to the plate. He walked twice and scored four runs. Williams made the best of one hit but drew a couple of free passes and walked across home plate three times.

The middle of the Flames batting order could not be overlooked. Brandon Daniels had a single, a two-base hit, collected an RBI and tallied a run. Collier was the only Lee player with three hits and he drove in four runs. He had a pair of one-base hits and a double.

Carson-Newman jumped on top 3-0 after 1 ½ innings, but the Flames fought back in the second to make it a 3-2 game. Collier drove in Batts and Williams in the frame with a hit.

The margin reached 4-2 in the top of the fourth inning but Lee struck back in the bottom of the frame. Batts and Williams drew walks. They moved to second and third on a long fly ball by Brantley Cutler. Collier stepped up again and stroked a RBI hit, scoring Batts. Isaiah French lifted a sacrifice fly that plated Williams to tie the game at four.

The Flames called on McKibben to slam the door on the Eagle hitters the remainder of the day. Lee's bats went to work in the bottom of the fifth inning and nine hitters went to the plate. Daniels, Batts and Collier ripped doubles in the frame. Daniels drove in a run, Batts two and Collier two. Cam Suto, Daniels, Batts, Williams and Collier tallied the Lee runs before the long inning ended.

The Flames tallied their final run of the contest in the seventh inning when Batts blasted his second home run of the year over the left-centerfield wall. Lee used a couple of other pitchers in the victory. Frankie Volkers started and worked first two innings. He allowed four hits and two earned runs. Zachary Lawson followed for the next two innings and gave up three hits and an earned run.

Carson-Newman sent five pitchers to the mound. Griff Hughes started and lasted three innings. He allowed three hits and four earned runs. Brock Culpepper pitched 1.1 innings and after giving up three hits and three earned runs was charged with the defeat.

The Eagles got a single and a double from Logan Floyd. He also had a RBI. Aiden Gibson, who played his high school ball at Walker Valley, collected two hits. James Denten had a hit, scored a run and a RBI in the loss, while Sam Astern came on in a reserve role and stroked a double.

Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:

"Carson Newman pressured us early, but Colt really settled us down and threw tremendous. He had great command of his change-up and allowed us the opportunity to battle back.

"Offensively, the middle of the lineup and Luke Collier provided some big swings. Matthew Batts has continued to have quality swings at the plate.

"We will now turn our focus to a real good Valdosta State team. I like the way we are playing right now, and we need to come out and have an aggressive mindset this weekend."