After run-ruling host Union University on Friday evening in seven innings, the Lee University baseball team split a pair of games with the battling Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. Lee won the opening contest 7-6 but Union came back and claimed the nightcap 7-6.
The Flames continue to win each GSC series after taking the weekend event 2-1. Lee leads the GSC standings with an 18-6 record and 31-11 overall. Union improved to 9-11, 15-23.
Lee moves on to the University of North Georgia for a single non-conference game (5 p.m.) on Tuesday before returning to Larry Carpenter Stadium and hosting Delta State University in a key GSC series next weekend.
Saturday will also be Military Appreciation Day.
Game 1 – Lee 7, Union 6
Runs were hard to come by for the Flames in the opener. Five extra-base hits proved to be a difference maker. Dylan Standifer, Cam Suto, Luke Hughes and Riley Black each had two hits in Lee’s 12-hit attack.
Hughes came on as a pinch hitter and was 2-for-2 with a RBI. Standifer had a pair of doubles, a RBI and a run scored. Black continued his fine work at the plate with a triple, a single and a run scored. Brantley Cutler also had a three-base hit, a RBI and tallied a run.
Suto got into the act with two hits, two RBI and a couple of runs scored. JJ Williams had a hit and a RBI as did Josiah Miller.
Lee scored one run in the first and third innings. Union tied the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the third. The Flames went back on top with two runs in the fifth but the Bulldogs fought right back to tie the game at 4-4 in the same inning. Two more runs made it a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning and it was a 7-4 game before Union made things really interesting with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Keegan Gagliardo (7-0) started, worked six innings and was credited with the pitching win. He allowed six hits, four earned runs, struck out six and walked one. Ty Cobb pitched 1.1 innings. He surrendered one hit but hit a pair of batters and walked another to load the bases. All totaled, Cobb allowed one hit and two earned runs.
Tim Gooden was called on for 1.2 innings and was credited with his third save of the year. The right-hander gave up only one hit but more importantly fanned four Bulldog hitters and did not walk a man.
Carson Chavis doubled, singled and scored two runs for Union. Mitch Sisk tripled, singled and drove home two runs while Caden Cutrell and Blake Barrett each doubled and scored a run. Eli Snelson worked six innings, allowed 10 hits and five earned runs. He was charged with the loss.
Game 2 – Union 7, Lee 6
Standifer got the Flames off to a quick start in the first inning with a double. He scored when the Bulldogs misplayed the ball hit by Brandon Daniels that gave Lee a 1-0 lead. The margin reached 3-0 in the top of the second. With two outs, Brock Sisson doubled and scored on a two-base hit by Ashton Simmons. Suto’s one-base hit plated Simmons.
As they did all afternoon, Union cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the second and then went on top 5-3 in the bottom of the third. The Flames recaptured the lead with three runs in the fourth and led 6-5.
Sisson, who finished the game with three hits, started the rally with a single. Simmons reached on a fielder’s choice and Standifer walked. Suto followed with his second hit of the afternoon and Daniels drove in two runs with a base hit. JJ Williams got into the act with a one-base knock that plated Suto with the third run.
The Flames were not able to score again although they did load the bases in the top of the seventh against Union relief pitcher Jamal Allen who picked up his fourth save of the year. Ryan Evans (3-2) came on in relief of Sam Poindexter. Evans (3-2) worked 1.2 innings and allowed only one hit.
Grant Ross enjoyed a big afternoon at the plate in the Bulldog win. He had a homerun but it was his base hit in the bottom of the sixth inning that plated Will Allen Smith with what turned out to be the winning run. Smith also finished with two hits and a RBI while Canyon Pace was credited with a pair of RBI.
For the Flames, Standifer finished with two hits as did Suto. Simmons joined Standifer in scoring a pair of runs. Frankie Volkers got the start for Lee and worked 2.1 innings. He allowed six hits and five earned runs, striking out three and walking one, but he also hit two batters. Cole Matthaidess (2-1) came on for 1.2 innings and was charged with the defeat. He allowed a hit, one earned run, walked one and hit one. Hunter Lane pitched the last two innings and gave up a hit and an earned run.