Ryan Valdez, Josiah Miller and Luke Collier combined for 12 of Lee’s 16 hits as the Flames ended a four-game losing streak with a convincing 10-2 victory at Christian Brothers University on Friday afternoon. The final two-games of the GSC series will continue on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Lee improved to 7-9 in conference play and 14-14 overall. The Bucs dropped to 4-12, 11-15.
Valdez ripped his first homer of the season. He scored five of the Flames 10 runs and knocked in one.
Miller also had four knocks, collected three RBI and tallied a run. Collier joined the four-hit parade, tallied a pair of runs and collected two RBI.
JJ Williams finished with a double and a single. He added two runs to the Lee total while Isaiah French had himself an unusual day with three walks that resulted in the final two RBI of the afternoon. Levi Cloud joined in with a two-base hit.
The Flames tallied two runs in the first inning and came back with solo runs in the second and third. The contest was put out of reach in the fourth inning when four big runs went up on the board. Christian Brothers managed single runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
Workhorse Cooper Casteel pitched eight innings and improved his record to 4-2 on the year. He allowed eight hits, two earned runs, struck out seven and walked only one. Freshman Evan Bloomer came on for the ninth inning. He gave up one hit and recorded a strikeout.
Nick Petruzzello homered for the Bucs while Logan Croley had two hits and Andrew Reed had a hit and drove in the other run for the home team. The losing pitcher was Cameron Olivo. He hurled three innings and allowed six earned runs, seven hits, walked four and struck out four. AJ Camboa followed for 3.1 innings, allowing eight hits and a pair of walks. He fanned three and allowed three earned runs. Dylan Anders went to the mound for the final 2.2 frames. He did not allow a run and gave up a single hit while walking one and striking out two.