Real baseball weather finally arrived at Olympic Field on Thursday afternoon just in time for Lee and visiting Carson-Newman to treat the fans to nine innings of exciting action.
The Flames held the upper hand only one time (1-0 in the first inning) before rallying for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull out the 7-6 victory.
The Eagles were up 4-1, 6-2 and 6-4 at different periods of the game, but Lee just kept the pressure on and improved to 13-7-1 with the win.
"We did a phenomenal job of competing late in the game," said Lee coach Mark Brew, who was extremely pleased with his club. "I am really proud of our guys and how they found a way to get it done. Carson-Newman outplayed us for three quarters of the game, but that is what is special about baseball. You have to secure the final outs."
In the ninth Cameron Scott came off the bench to deliver a single that scored Chris Adams to make it a 6-5 game. With the bases loaded Ben Holland walked, scoring Andres Nelo with the tying run. Nate Wierzgac grounded to short, but the ball was bobbled, allowing Scott to score the winning run and touch off a celebration.
"We needed something positive to come out of our dugout and hopefully this will help continue to propel us in the right direction," Brew added. "They knocked us around on the mound but we pitched well to minimize damage in some of the innings, allowing us to find a way to win it in the end. Corbin Lamb and Trent Hill pitched out of jams, and looking back those were really key situations. Additionally, our defense was very good all day, turning in key double plays."
Carson-Newman out-hit Lee 14-8 and committed the only costly error of the well-played contest. Holland enjoyed his best performance of the season at the plate, blasting a double and a triple, driving in one run and scoring twice. Wierzgac had two hits plus a sacrifice fly and batted in two runs. Nelo added a homer and a single, produced two RBI and scored twice. Adams delivered a key single and the game-changing run.
"Offensively I thought we did a nice job of creating some freebies late via walks and other methods, allowing us to have a chance," injected Brew. "It was good to see Holland swing the bat well and I thought Nelo did a solid job filling the lead-off spot for the injured Siosi Poti. Scott added a big swing in that final inning."
Carson-Newman was paced by Greg Jones, Ryan Addington, Bo Ausmus and Evan Jurjevic. They supplied 12 of their club's 14 hits. Brandon Roberts added the other two. Ausmus and Jurjevic also doubled. But it was Greg Jones who almost hit for the cycle, ripping a long homer to right, drilling a triple and stroking a double. He added to his outstanding day by driving in three runs.
The Flames sent eight different pitchers to the mound and only Jacob Potts, the starter, and Chevis Hoover pitched more than one inning. Carlos Ditren, Dustin Lawson, and Hill came on to shut down the hard-hitting Eagles in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Hill (4-2) was awarded the pitching decision. Carson-Newman used four hurlers. Logan Shaftner worked six solid innings. Carson Bryant toed the rubber in the eighth and ninth innings and was charged with the loss.
"We need a couple of days to get ready for the (GSC) series with Mississippi College," concluded Brew. "We need to come out ready to play on Sunday from the opening pitch."
The weekend series has been moved to Sunday and Monday because of more possible rainy conditions. Sunday will be a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. and Monday will be a single game with the first pitch at 1 p.m. The annual Parents Day dinner is still planned for Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at the Mountain View Inn.