The Lee University Baseball team committed eight errors and gave up seven unearned runs, but were able to record the split of a Gulf South Conference (GSC) doubleheader with Delta State University Saturday afternoon at Olympic Field.
The No. 21-ranked Flames (11-3, 3-2 GSC) won the opener 11-7 and fell in the nightcap 4-1. Delta State now stands at 9-3 overall and 3-2 in league play.
“We always have a goal to win the series and that is still in play,” said Lee head coach Mark Brew. “We need to clean up our defense, but this team is finding ways to win and we need to do that again tomorrow.”
The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.
DELTA STATE 4, LEE 1
The Statesmen took advantage of two Lee errors to score three runs in the third inning and added another unearned run in the fifth to even the series at one game each.
The Flames recorded their lone run in the seventh inning with a two-out RBI triple by Jordan Howard to score Peyton Meeker. Meeker had led off the inning with a double and finished the game 2-for-3. Howard added a single to finish 2-for-3. Geremy Walton and Tyler Payne each singled to make up Lee’s six hits.
Jumpei Akanuma was tagged for three hits and four runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two. Rob Gustitus was near-perfect in 2 1/3 innings of relief. He faced eight batters, hit one and fanned four.
Tre Hobbs went the distance for the Statesmen to even his record at 2-2. Hobbs gave up one run, six hits, walked none and struck out six.
“We didn’t have many opportunities at the plate. Hobbs kept us off balance most of the night and we didn’t really make any necessary adjustments,” said Brew. “Our pitching was good enough, but we just couldn’t string any big at bats together.”
LEE 11, DELTA STATE 7
In a back-and-forth game, the Flames used a six-run seventh inning capped by a Walton grand slam to claim the series opener. Lee scored 11 runs on 14 hits and three Delta State errors. The Statesmen ripped 11 hits and were aided by five Lee errors.
“As poorly as we played defensively, I was really proud of how the team found a way to overcome that obstacle,” added Brew.
Walton, Payne and Nathan Wierzgac had three hits each. Walton finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Payne legged out a double and a triple, while Wierzgac had one double. Walton and Payne also led the Lee offense with four RBI each.
Spencer Mossburg and Zack Zyburt each delivered doubles for their lone hits. Meeker, Miguel Pimentel and Drew Johnson stroked one single each.
“Offensively, we struck out way too much early, but really turned it on past the fourth inning,” Brew said. “We are showing toughness in these late innings and that’s a great characteristic to have. Payne and Walton had huge swings in our big inning, but I thought Zack Zyburt gave us a nice lift off the bench.”
Delta State scored once in the first inning. The Flames tallied single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-1 lead. The Statesmen would push across three unearned runs in the fourth to retake the lead. Following another single run in the fifth, Lee would again go out in front with a two-spot in the sixth inning.
The seventh inning would see DSU score three in the top frame to regain a lead at 7-5 only to see Lee plate six runs in the bottom of the inning to supply the final score.
Art Vidrio gave up eight hits and a walk over six innings of work. The left-hander allowed four unearned runs and struck out three before being relieved.
Joe Parete picked up the win after throwing 1 1/3 innings. Parete (1-0) gave up a single to the first batter he faced in the seventh inning and struck out one batter in the eighth. Kit Larson pitched the ninth inning, allowing just one batter to reach on a walk and recording one strikeout.
“Art pitched well, but we definitely didn’t support him defensively. I thought Parete and Larson did a great job securing the final outs again,” Brew finalized.