Redshirt sophomore Cameron Land pitched 6.1 innings of two-hit baseball in helping lead 16th-ranked Lee to a 4-1 victory over 30th-ranked Lindenwood University (Missouri) at Larry Carpenter Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The win completed a three-game sweep of the Lions and improved Lee’s record to 5-2 on the young season.
Land entered the seventh inning pitching no-hit baseball before Calvin Nowark singled. One out later, Michael Ward doubled home Nowark to produce the Lions only score of the afternoon and ended the outstanding performance by Land.
All totaled the right-hander struck out four, walked one and hit a batter. Brysen Jewell came on in relief for 1.2 innings. He also gave up only one hit, no runs and fanned two. Hunter Lane hurled the ninth inning and picked up his third save of the year.
“What a great job by Cameron Land today. Jewell and Lane provided us some big outs to record the win,” commented Coach Mark Brew after the victory. “It was a great sweep against a good Lindenwood team. I’m really proud of our pitchers. They really turned things around this weekend. We need to show continued improvement this week.”
The Flames put three of their four runs on the board in the second inning. Matthew Batts started the frame with a single and Luke Hughes followed with a one-base hit. With two outs, Jared Demkowicz delivered a three-run homer over the right-centerfield wall, some 385 feet away from home plate.
Lee came back with another run in the third inning. Thomas Zazzaro, who had two hits on the day, ripped a double and scored on the first of three straight hits by Dylan Standifer. All totaled, the Flames had 11 hits. Batts and Demkowicz joined Zazzaro with a pair of hits. Brandon Daniels also had a one-base hit in the victory.
“Standifer is swinging it extremely well and is providing a major presence in the middle of the lineup,” pointed out Coach Brew. “We have other guys who are starting to click as well. We are starting to build some depth going into week three and our conference opener against Union next weekend.”
The Lions got solid pitching from Ryan O’Connell who started and worked 4.2 innings. He allowed nine hits, four earned runs, struck out seven and walked one. Kyle Stoddard came on for 3.1 frames and allowed just two hits. He fanned five and walked one.
Genesis Nunez joined Nowak and Ward as the only Lions to get hits off Lee pitching. All totaled, the Lee pitching staff faced only 29 batters over the entire nine innings.
The Flames will return to action on Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. and face Young Harris College in a single game at Larry Carpenter Stadium. The Mountain Lions improved to 5-1 on the year by winning two-of-three over Mississippi College this weekend.