-Red-shirt sophomore Brock Sisson delivered a walk-off single that scored JJ Williams and gave the Lee University baseball team a thrilling 10-9 comeback victory on Sunday afternoon at Larry Carpenter Stadium. The Flames trailed 9-0 after four innings against Mars Hill University and the comeback victory allowed the Flames to claim the series 2-1 and improve its record to 4-2.
Lee trailed 9-8 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, Josiah Miller blasted a long homerun over the right-field wall that quickly tied the game at 9.
Matthew Batts followed with a single and JJ Williams reached on a fielder’s choice that forced Batts at second. Williams stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the Mars Hill catcher. Sisson promptly delivered the game-winning hit.
Trailing 9-1, the Flames finally got the bats going with four runs in the seventh inning to cut the Lions margin to 9-5. With two outs, Luke Collier sparked the inning with a double and scored on a single by Dylan Standifer. Cam Suto ripped a two-run homer over the left-field wall and Brandon Daniels made it back-to-back homers as he drilled his shot over the right-centerfield fence.
Lee made it a one-run game in the eighth (9-8). Williams and Sisson walked and both scored on a clutch pinch-hit double by Brantley Cutler. Collier followed with a one-base hit that plated Cutler to set up the heroics in the ninth.
The Flames finished with 11 hits. Collier, Daniels and Batts had two hits each. Suto and Cutler knocked in two runs apiece while Daniels and Williams scored twice. Collier, Standifer, Miller, Sisson and Cutler tallied the other runs.
The Flames used seven pitchers in the victory. It was not the best for starter Nelson Smith but David White came on for three quality innings. He gave up two hits, walked two, struck out four and did not allow a run. Cole Matthaidess also gave Lee 1.2 innings of work. He did not give up a hit, walked one and struck out one. Ty Cobb pitched the ninth and was perfect with a strikeout. Cobb got credit for his first win of the year. Also credit had to go to the Flames defense who played errorless baseball for three straight games.
Tai Gilbert paced the Mars Hill hitters with three hits, including a double. Carter Potts and Chad Sikes collected two-base hits and drove in two runs apiece. The Lions made the best of eight hits and took advantage of seven walks and three hit batters.
Brennan Williams was the starting Mars Hill pitcher and hurled a solid four innings, giving up two hits and one earned run. All totaled, the Lions used five pitchers. Dustin Dunlap came on in the seventh and allowed four hits and four earned runs. Brady Stephens was called on to work 1.1 innings. He was charged with the loss after allowing three hits and only one earned run.
The Flames will jump right back into action on Tuesday when they will host an unbeaten Young Harris team. The single game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch.