It was an afternoon of two-base hits as Lee completed a three-game sweep of host Christian Brothers University. The Flames, led by freshman Ryan Valdes, smashed 13 doubles in the 13-4 and 6-2 victories. Valdes homered for the first time in his career on Friday and then came back with a big grand slam on Saturday. The entire starting lineup had a base-hit in the opening game of the doubleheader. Lee improved to 9-9 in conference play and 16-14 overall. The Bucs fell to 4-13, 12-15.
The Flames will jump right back into the action on Tuesday when they travel to Greeneville and face Tusculum College in a single nine-inning game slated for 6 p.m. Lee returns to Larry Carpenter Stadium next weekend and will host the University of Montevallo. The three-game series begins on Friday with the first pitch slated for 5 p.m.
Game 1 – Lee 13, CBU 4
The Flames erupted for five runs in the fourth and ninth innings in posting 15 hits in the second straight win over the Bucs. Every Lee player in the lineup had at least one hit. Freshman Ryan Valdes was the leader with five RBI including a grand-slam homerun in the ninth inning. He finished the contest with two doubles and the round-tripper.
The five-run fourth inning began with one out. Brock Sisson started with what turned out to be a day of doubles for the Flames. He scored on the two-base hit by Valdes. Ashton Simmons settled for a one-base knock and JJ Williams joined the two-base act when his double plated two runs. Luke Collier was hit by a pitch, both runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored runs four and five when Tucker Platt collected a pair of RBI with a single.
The Flames made the best of two hits in the ninth inning when they recorded five big runs. Platt, Josiah Miller and Sisson drew walks to begin the rally. Valdes seized the opportunity and ripped his grand-slam over the left-centerfield wall. Simmons walked and tallied the fifth run of the inning when Collier doubled him home.
In the win, Lee banged out nine doubles. While Valdes led the way, Platt had a double, single, scored two runs and posted three RBI. Sisson also had a one-base hit and a two-bagger. He finished by tallying twice and knocking one run. Levi Cloud recorded a double and a single and crossed the plate once. Isaiah French collected two hits and scored once. Collier doubled, scored and got into the RBI department while Williams started the game off with a two-base hit, scored the first run of the contest and later knocked in a run.
The Flames used four pitchers in the win. Dylan Van Meeteren (3-3) worked four innings and got the win. He allowed one earned run and three hits, walked four, struck out four and hit two batters. Seth Parker followed for 3.1 frames. He also allowed an earned run and five hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out three and hit one. Hunter Lane came on to face two Buc hitters. The right-hander did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out one. Nelson Smith pitched the ninth. He gave up a run on two hits, walked a pair and hit one batter. Ryan Lawson was the starting and losing pitcher of four Buc hurlers.
Game 2 – Lee 6, CBU 2
Once again doubles and solid pitching were key as the Flames completed the three-game series sweep of the Bucs. Lee had 10 hits in the overall victory and four of those were two-base hits. Collier continued to be the Flames top hitter as he pounded out a double, a single, scored two runs and walked twice in the 6-2 win. French also delivered a two-base knock and added a one-base hit. He scored twice and collected a RBI. Williams and Valdes joined the doubles parade while Williams knocked in a run. Platt continued his solid work at the dish with two hits while Miller drove in a pair of runs with his base hit and Simmons rounded out Lee’s 10-hit attack.
Colt McKibben pushed his record to 3-0 on the year. The lefty worked five innings allowing two hits and an earned run. He fanned five and walked one. Ty Cobb came on for an inning and surrendered a hit and recorded a strikeout. Tim Gooden hurled the final inning. The right-hander allowed an earned run although he did not give up a hit. He walked a batter, hit one and delivered a wild pitch.
Charlie Faoro was the CBU starting and losing pitcher. He worked 5.1 innings and gave up three hits but that included two doubles. Anders came on in relief for the second time in the doubleheader. He pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed an earned run. Cayden Freels had two of the Bucs three hits. He delivered a double and drove in a run.