CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Cooper Casteel pitched a complete nine-inning game shutout while his teammates supplied the key hits. At the same time, the defense was turning in a sparkling effort in a 5-0 victory over Union University on Olympic Field at Larry Carpenter Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The win improved the Flames record to 4-6 in GSC play and an even 10-10 overall. The Bulldogs dropped to 2-7, 7-11. The two clubs will battle again in the three-game series on Saturday. The first game of the doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Casteel (3-1) allowed nine hits and did not walk a batter but did hit one Bulldog. He fanned four and threw 95 pitches in going the distance and picking up the win. Elijah Ramsey was the losing pitcher. In 6.2 innings he surrendered nine hits and five earned runs. Ethan Orwig and Ryan Evans came on in relief for Union.
Luke Collier was a perfect 3-of-3 in Lee's nine-hit attack. He had a double, two singles and one RBI. Levi Cloud smashed a two-run homer and Ashton Simmons hit a solo shot. Gavin Baxter doubled and collected a RBI while Malachi Cloud also had a two-base hit and tallied a score. Tucker Platt collected Lee's other hit and posted a run.
Carson Chavies and Jake Keyl were the Bulldog leaders. Both had a double and a single. Canyon Pace picked up two hits while Colby Davis, Alec Hardy and Caleb Davis had a base hit in the defeat.
Levi Cloud blasted a two-run homer in the second inning to put the Flames up 2-0. Lee moved out to a 3-0 margin in the fourth when Malachi Cloud had a two-base hit and scored on Baxter's RBI double. The final three runs came in the seventh inning. Simmons homered just inside the flagpole in left field. JJ Williams walked and scored the final run of the game on Collier's two-base hit.
The Flames played errorless baseball and helped Casteel pitch the shutout by turning in two double plays and some solid efforts on defense. The Bulldogs also did not commit an error in a contest that was played in one hour and 45 minutes.
Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:
"It was a well-played game both ways, but Cooper Casteel was excellent on the mound and made some huge pitches all day. Our defense was awesome, and we got some big swings from Collier, Ashton, Gavin, and Levi. It's another big day tomorrow and we need to come out and execute on the mound, at the plate, and in the field to have a chance to win the series."
