It was revenge time for the University of North Georgia baseball team on Tuesday afternoon when it hosted Lee University at Bob Stein Stadium. The Flames defeated the Nighthawks 15-5 on March 19th. North Georgia quickly put nine runs on the board in the first inning and rubbed a little salt in the wound in the eighth inning, tallying eight more scores in defeating the 10th-ranked Flames 21-2.
The Flames returned to Cleveland and are looking forward to a key GSC three-game series with Delta State University.
After Friday’s single game, Lee will host Military Appreciation Day on Saturday at Larry Carpenter Stadium. The ceremony is slated for 12:15 p.m. and the first game will start at 1 p.m. Lee’s overall record stands at 31-12 while North Georgia improved to 28-14.
The Nighthawks only out-hit the Flames 12-8 but took advantage of 15 walks and eight hitters being plucked by pitches. The North Georgia attack was led by Andrews Opata who had a homerun, double, walked twice and collected four RBI. Kyle Robitzsch finished with four hits including a double. He drove in two runs and scored four times.
Edwin Bowman and Bryson Stripling drove in three runs each. Bowman also scored three times. Stripling tallied a run and joined Bowman by drawing two walks. All totaled, 10 Nighthawks reached base by drawing one or two free passes.
The Flames used seven pitchers in the loss. Colt McKibben (2-1) started and retired two batters in the opening inning, giving up five earned runs. He walked three and surrendered two hits. It was basically the same story with the six other hurlers who toed the rubber. All totaled, Lee pitchers allowed 21 earned runs mixed in with the 15 walks and seven hit batters. David White came in and fanned four Nighthawks in 1.2 innings.
Down 9-0 the Flames got on the board in the fifth inning. Luke Collier doubled and scored when Dylan Standifer reached on an error. Lee’s other score was posted in the seventh inning. Brantley Cutler started the inning with a one-base hit. Isaiah French came on as a pinch hitter and moved Cutler up with a single. Standifer collected his second RBI with a double that scored Cutler.
Cam Suto was the only Flame with two hits on the day. Brandon Daniels and Matthew Batts joined Standifer, Collier, Cutler and French with one hit apiece. The North Georgia pitchers allowed only one walk and the Flames left nine runners on base.
Jaret Bales (1-1) was credited with the pitching win. In 4.2 innings he allowed three hits and no earned runs. Nathan Alexander followed and gave up five hits. He allowed one earned run and one unearned score in 1.1 frames. The Nighthawks used three other hurlers, each working a perfect inning.