Shae Durham had a hit a drew two walks in Lee's 4-2 win at Trevecca on Tuesday evening
With the pitching staff gaining momentum late in the baseball campaign, four runs seems to work magic for Lee.
The Flames scored two runs in the fourth inning and added two more in the fifth in recording their fourth straight win on Tuesday evening and improved to 24-15-1 heading into Military Appreciation weekend against a Valdosta State opponent that is also in the midst of a hot streak.
For Lee head Mark Brew it is always nice to return to his college home and bring back a 4-2 victory over Trevecca Nazarene.
Brew played for the Trojans and served as an assistant coach under David Altopp before the pair came to Lee and revived a baseball program that had been dormant for several years.
“This was a really solid team win against a very good Trevecca team," noted Brew. “They didn't play this past weekend and we knew we would see all their top arms. I am proud of how our team competed against them.”
Brew went on to praise his pitchers, "Chevis (Hoover) gave us another quality start on the mound. Grayson (Bailey) has been throwing the ball extremely well recently. Ridge (Ackerman) did a good job of closing things out.
The Flames jumped on top 2-0 in the fourth inning. Big Ben Holland ripped a triple that scored Trent Hill, who had drawn a walk earlier in the inning. Luke Toms delivered a fly ball to center that plated Holland with run number two.
Lee scored what turned out to be the winning runs in the fifth. Hill stroked a single that plated Siosi Poti, who had doubled and Shae Durham, who had walked. “Hill's two-out hit was huge in changing the momentum of the game," added Brew. "I thought Durham played an awesome game offensively, and had a huge defensive play to secure the first out in the ninth inning. He gave us a big lift at the bottom of the line-up."
Durham had a hit and two walks. Poti had two of Lee's eight hits, while Toms, Nate Weirzgac and Zach Zyburt had the other Lee hits.
Hoover (4-2) recorded the pitching win. He hurled the first four innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, walked one and fanned five Trojan hitters. Carlos Ditren ran into control problems in the fifth, walking three batters and surrendering Trevecca's only other run. Bailey was Johnny on the spot again, working 2 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits and struck out four. He pitched the Flames out of a big jam in the fifth. Ackerman pitched the final 1 2/3 inning and picked up his fifth save of the year.
"Slowly we are really building some solid momentum," concluded Brew. "That's four consecutive road wins which are extremely difficult to come by. Our pitchers and defense have really stepped up allowing only four runs over those four road wins."
Saturday's opening pitch against Valdosta State is slated for a 2 p.m. It will mark the third straight year that Lee baseball has honored the veterans from our region.