CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The Lee University baseball team moved into a tie for second place in the Gulf South Conference standings with Trevecca Nazarene University (18-9 records) by completing a series sweep of Valdosta State University on Saturday with 11-6 and 11-5 victories at Larry Carpenter Stadium.
The wins were the ninth straight by the Flames and they will host the University of West Alabama in a showdown for the top spot in the GSC on Friday and Saturday (April 17-18). It will also be Military Appreciation Day as all the veterans will be honored in the special event, beginning at noon on Saturday.
Lee, 28-13 overall, will return to non-conference action on Tuesday and will face Young Harris College in a single nine-inning game slated for a 5 p.m. start. The Mountain Lions will bring a 31-11 record into the contest and are nationally ranked.
Game 1 – Lee 11, VSU 5
The Flames pounded out 16 hits and jumped out to an 8-0 lead before the Blazers cut the lead to 8-2 in the top of the seventh inning. Lee came back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to claim an 11-2 lead. Valdosta State fought back with a single run in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth before the Flames could put the visitors away.
It was a big day at the dish for senior JJ Williams. He was 3-of-5 with his third homerun of the season and his 12th double. He also knocked in three runs and scored three times. Isaiah French got his bat going with a two-base knock, a pair of singles and a RBI. Cody Turner collected two hits, two RBI and tallied a pair of runs.
Every Flame in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Nate Caraballo connected for his eighth homer. Luke Collier blasted his 11th two-bagger of the year and also singled while scoring a run. Aiden McClary had two hits and tallied one run.
Ryan Valdes ripped a double that plated two runners. Landon Franklin had a hit and crossed the plate twice. Nathan Dunfee joined the hit parade with a one-base knock that plated a run, and he also scored two times.
Gage Shaver (5-2) worked 6.1 innings to collect the pitching win. He allowed five hits and two earned runs, fanning seven and walking one. Mason Bratcher came on for 1.2 innings. The right-hander gave up a pair of hits, walked three and allowed two earned runs. Freshman Zach Tierney was called on for an inning. The lefty gave up only a hit, struck out one and did not issue a free pass.
The Blazers collected eight hits. Parker Ladd was the leader with a single and a homerun. Luke Flading posted a pair of RBI with a hit while Charlie Banks tripled and scored a run. Jake Butler (3-3) pitched four innings and was charged with the loss. VSU sent five hurlers to the mound in the losing effort.
Game 2 – Lee 11, VSU 6
The Blazers gained their only lead of the three-game series in the top of the first inning when they moved on top 1-0. The advantage did not last long as the Flames tied the contest at one in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again.
Lee led 6-2 at the end of four innings. The Blazers cut the lead to 7-4 in the fifth but the Flames responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to build an 11-4 lead. VSU loaded the bases in the seventh and put two runs on the board before the Flames finally put out the Blazer fire.
Lee had 13 hits in the victory. Collier exploded for his sixth triple and his ninth homerun. He finished the contest with three hits, five RBI and two runs scored. Casen Youngblood hit his ninth homer of the year. The big freshman countered with three RBI, a single and two runs scored. Turner hit a monstrous homer across the street in right field. It was his ninth four-bagger of the year. He also stroked his 10th double and collected two RBI.
Keilin Sanders picked up Lee's other RBI with a one-base hit. He also scored a run and made the catch of the game. On a long drive to left field, Sanders sprinted to the wall, leaped against the fence and made the sensational catch. Landon Franklin also doubled and scored a run.
Dylan Van Meeteren (5-1) was the Lee starter and winning pitcher. He pitched four innings and allowed two earned runs, striking out six and walking one. Turner came on to earn his third save of the year. In 2.2 innings, he surrendered five hits and allowed a couple of runs while striking two and not walking a runner.
Flading was a perfect 4-of-4 for the Blazers. He knocked in two runs and scored once. Marcos Sevillano homered and had two singles. He finished with three RBI. Trey Jackson (1-3) worked 2.1 innings for VSU and was charged with the loss. He allowed six hits and six earned runs. Hunter Ward followed for 2.1 innings and also gave up six hits and five earned runs. Keaton Fuller finished the contest with 1.1 frames. He gave up only one hit and no runs.
Coach Mark Brew's thoughts:
"It was a big sweep for our team this weekend. We got solid starting pitching and played pretty good defense, but my hats off to our offense which really showed up in a big way. We were able to get some big innings and answer Valdosta every time they scored. That helped us keep the pressure on them throughout the weekend. We've got another big week with a quality Young Harris team on Tuesday."
