Joshua Perez homered twice in the weekend series at West Florida.
Sweeps over West Alabama and Mississippi College loom large as the Lee baseball team enters the Gulf South Conference tournament next weekend. Traveling down south to face West Florida has never been an easy task for the Flames and this weekend was no exception as they were swept by the Argonauts 7-2, 8-4, 8-1 during the weekend series at Jim Spooner Field.
The Flames suffered their first three-game sweep of the season but will still command the No. 1 slot when they head to Oxford, Alabama to begin GSC tourney play.
The tournament will be divided into two four-team pools. The winner of the pool will move on to play at the site of the team with the highest conference record. Lee dropped to 32-7 overall and 26-6 in league play. The Argonauts improved to 29-8, 28-8.
“It was a tough weekend for sure. We got outplayed in every facet of the game and my hat is off to West Florida. We will have to regroup and get ready for the conference tournament,” said Lee head coach Mark Brew after the disappointing weekend.
Saturday, Game 2 – West Florida 8, Lee 1
The contest was a pitching duel until the sixth inning. The Argos had gone on top 2-0 in the first inning and the Flames cut the lead to 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning. Lee starter Seth Konkel (5-1) and West Florida hurler Tyler Dowdy (5-1) locked horns until the roof caved in in the sixth.
West Florida sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth. A walk, bunt single and a pair of one-base knocks to the left side got the ball rolling for the home club. All totaled, the Argos had only one hit off Konkel before Coach Brew went to his bullpen and called on his ace closer Andy Rivera. West Florida promptly scored five runs before the Flames went to the pen again and called on Tyler Fairchild. Nate Dupree went to the bump for the final inning.
The 8-1 lead was far too much for Lee to overcome in the Sunshine State. Dowdy went the distance for the first time this season and allowed five hits, one earned run and fanned eight. Miller Hancock, who enjoyed a big day for the Argos had two more hits, a RBI and a run scored. Adam Imwalle followed with a double, two singles and three RBI. True Fontenot rounded out the 11-hit attack with a double, single, two RBI and a run scored.
The Flames struggled at the plate the entire weekend. In Saturday’s final game, no player had more than one hit. Joshua Perez connected for his second homerun of the day in the third inning. Justen Freeman doubled while Thomas Zazzaro, Ryan Beamish and Brandon Daniels had Lee’s other hits. Alan Smith had his 57-games hitting streak snapped in the loss.
Saturday, Game 1 – West Florida 8, Lee 4
The Flames encountered problems putting key hits together in the first game of a doubleheader. West Florida only out-hit Lee 11-10 but the Flames left 12 runners stranded on the bases. On the other hand, the Argonauts stranded only five runners.
Lee jumped on top 3-0 in the top of the first inning. Zazzaro walked. Smith singled and Beamish walked to load the bases. With two outs Colton Yeager reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Zazzaro. Landon Silver followed with a one-base knock that plated Smith and Beamish.
West Florida cut the lead to 3-1 in their bottom half of the inning while the Flames only put one run on the board the remainder of the contest. In the top of the second two runners were stranded after Beamish hit into a double play. West Florida tied the game in the third and went ahead to stay in the fourth inning.
Lee continued to find ways to plate runners leaving two more stranded in the fourth on another double-play ball. In the eighth the Flames appeared ready to climb back into the contest but after pinch-hitter Perez stroked a solo homer the Flames proceeded to strand two more.
Logan Workman (6-1) started and suffered his first loss of the year. Coach Brew had stated before Saturday’s opener that he would limit the pitch count of his ace and the Lee skipper did exactly that. Workman left the game after five innings. He allowed seven hits, four earned runs, struck out five and walked one. Chandler Ring came on for 1.1 innings and allowed two earned runs. Alan Carter hurled the final 1.2 frames, allowing three hits, no earned runs and striking out three.
Ryan Brewer started for the Argonauts and pitched the first three innings. He gave up six hits and three earned runs. Alex Knight (2-0) went to the bump for the next three innings and fanned three while walking only one. Sean Means was next out of the bullpen and allowed three hits and an earned run while picking up four strikeouts. Brendon Case pitched the final inning for West Florida.
The Flames had trouble getting the top of the Argo batting order out most of the day. Lead-off hitter Hancock was 4-of-5 including a double, a triple and tallied three runs. Dylan Menhennett and Imwalle also enjoyed solid hitting performances. Both had two hits. Imwalle plated a pair of runs and scored once while Menhennett had an RBI and two tallies.