Lee Wins 7-4 Over West Florida

  • Sunday, March 29, 2015
Andres Nelo had a home run and double in Lee's win over West Florida on Sunday afternoon.
Andres Nelo had a home run and double in Lee's win over West Florida on Sunday afternoon.
After dropping a pair of extra-inning games on Saturday to the University of West Florida, the Lee baseball team bounced up off the deck and pinned a 7-4 defeat on the host Argonauts on Sunday afternoon in a Gulf South Conference (GSC) contest.

“I am really proud of the response of our team,” praised coach Mark Brew after the win. “After a tough day on Saturday, they came out and played extremely well from the start today. It’s a real quality win for our program. I like what I saw from the team this weekend.
We played really well and the series could have just as easily gone our way. It is something we can build on as we move forward.”

The top five in the Flames batting order did major damage. They combined for six hits; three going for extra bases, scored three runs and collected a total of six runs batted in.

Siosi Poti set the table with two hits, two runs scored and a RBI. Andres Nelo swung the big bat with a home run, double and a pair of runs batted in. Chris Adams also had a two-base hit and drove home two runs.

“Nelo, Tate and Poti all had solid days and we did a really good job against a very strong pitcher,” noted Brew. “Our approaches offensively have improved a lot over the last 7-10 days and we are making better adjustments at the plate.”

On down the line, Trent Hill helped the winning cause with three hits and crossing the plate three times while Josh Tate countered with two knocks and a run scored.

The Flames fell behind in the second inning, 1-0 but quickly jumped on top to stay by scoring three runs in the top of the third. Hill opened the frame with a hit, Tate singled up the middle and Poti put down a perfect bunt to load the bases. Adams stroked a double that scored two runs and Luke Toms singled to drive home Poti.

In the fifth, the Flames struck again and it was Poti who got things started with a base knock. He scored when Nelo doubled down the left-field line. The margin grew to 5-1 in the sixth inning. Hill posted an infield single and Tate and Poti walked to load the bases. Hill scored on a wild pitch.

Lee tacked on insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Hill collected his third hit of the afternoon and Poti got the RBI on a fielder’s choice. The final run came on Nelo’s homer in the ninth frame.

The Flames got another solid effort from Jacob Potts (2-3). The lefty worked five innings, allowing four hits and no earned runs. However, he did walk five batters while striking out two. Grayson Bailey came on to give Lee two innings of relief work. He allowed only one hit, walked two and fanned one. Ridge Ackerman came on to post his third save of the year in the ninth inning. He allowed a hit and an earned run while striking out a batter.

“Potts gave us what we needed on the mound,” added Brew. “If we had played better defense early, he could have pitched deeper into the game. Bailey and Ackerman did a super job on the back end of our pitching rotation.”

Jarrrod Petree started for the Argos. He surrendered five hits and two earned runs over three innings. Matt Rodriguez (0-2) was charged with the loss. In three innings he allowed three hits, two earned runs but did strike out five Lee hitters. Kevin Peters and Reed Bright hurled the final three innings for the losers.

The Flames held West Florida to only six hits and Chase Kiefer collected two hits and a RBI. Nick Kerkmann posted a hit and scored twice for the Argos.

Lee improves to 18-12-1 overall and 8-11-1 in GSC play. West Florida dropped to 18-12 and 12-9. The Flames will return to Olympic Field on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and play a single nine-inning, non-conference game against Young Harris College.
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