CLEVELAND, Tenn.-Lee's Jack Nedrow (7-0) allowed only one hit over seven innings while his teammates supplied plenty of bat power in a 16-0, 7-inning run-rule win over the University of West Alabama at Larry Carpenter Stadium on Friday evening.
The GSC victory improved the 14th-ranked Flames to 15-4 and 27-9 overall. The Tigers dropped to 9-13, 17-19. The two clubs will tangle again on Saturday afternoon. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. and the 7-inning nightcap will follow at 4 p.m.
Nedrow faced only one West Alabama hitter over the 21-man limit. Nick Thibodeau collected the only hit for the Tigers and it came in the second inning. The right-hander, who returned from an injury after missing a start last weekend, struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Lee led 5-0 after three innings before breaking the contest wide open with six runs in the fourth inning and then adding a pair of runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Cam Suto continued to swing the hot bat for the Flames. He blasted two homeruns, a single and drove in six runs. Suto and Brandon Daniels had back-to-back homers in the fourth inning. Daniels finished the day with two hits and three RBI. Luke Collier also continued his big day at the plate. He homered in the third inning and knocked in a pair of runs in the fourth.
Matthew Batts added a homerun, single and plated two runs. JJ Williams finished with two hits, a RBI and a run scored. Josiah Miller joined in with a hit and a RBI. Dylan Standifer waited until the sixth inning to post his first hit of the game, but he walked three times, reached on an error and scored four runs. All totaled, the Flames banged out 15 hits with Riley Black and Brantley Cutler picking up a hit and scored one run apiece.
The Tigers used three pitchers in the loss. Bryant Quimby started and worked three innings. He allowed nine hits and eight earned runs. Grainger West pitched two innings and Jared Kelly hurled the final frame. West Alabama was guilty of four costly errors.
Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:
"Today was probably one of the best performances we've put together as a team. Jack was tremendous on the mound, our defense played excellent all day and our offense was able to score with frequency. Tomorrow is a different day and we will have to flip the page and be ready to go."
