The No. 17 West Florida Argonauts flashed the leather and added timely hits to top the Lee baseball team, 7-5 in Friday evening's series opener.
After falling into a three-run deficit the Flames rallied back thanks to a Trent Hill two-run double in the fifth inning. MJ Brown followed the Hill double with an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.
Lee tallied 12 hits against the Gulf South Conference's top pitching staff but the damaged was limited thanks to some acrobatic defensive plays up the middle for the Argos.
With the score tied West Florida responded with single to left by Jimmy Redovian scoring Jean Figueroa to retake the lead in the sixth frame.
The Argos added an insurance run in the seventh on a bloop single by Robert Lopez over a drawn-in Lee infield.
Art Vidrio started for the Flames and lasted just 3 2/3 innings allowing nine hits, five runs (four unearned). He walked three and struck out a batter. Gage Carpenter (0-3) and Kyle Briner came on in relief and kept the Lee within striking distance. Carpenter allowed one run over two innings while Kyle Briner tossed 3 1/3 innings yielding one run on three hits.
Walker O'Conner got the nod on the bump for the Argos and allowed 10 hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings. Jarrod Petree (6-1), one of the conference's top relievers, earned the win pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He struck out two and allowed one hit. Steven McClellan worked the ninth for his ninth save and allowed a hit but got a game-ending double play to seal the victory.
Chris Adams got Lee on the board first with a run-scoring single in the second inning. The senior finished with three hits. Luke Toms tripled and singled in the contest while Geremy Walton and Tyler Payne each added a singles.
West Florida took control in the fourth inning with a five-run frame. Lopez started the rally with a two-run triple to center. Figueroa followed with a single through the left side to score Lopez. Nick Strasser and Justin Ambrosino finished off the rally with back to back RBI singles.
The victory sealed the number one seed in next week's Gulf South Conference Tournament for West Florida (33-13, 24-7) while the Flames (30-16, 18-11) will still have work to do to try and clinch their first NCAA D2 postseason bid.
Lee can clinch the No. 6 seed with two wins tomorrow, beginning at 1 p.m. or a single win and a Valdosta State loss at North Alabama. With the victory West Florida will host the tournament in Pensacola beginning Thursday.