GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Lee University's Cam Suto went 3-for-5 with four RBI to lead the Flames to a 10-6 non-conference baseball win over Tusculum University Tuesday night at Pioneer Park.
Lee (17-14) pounded out 17 hits and drew eight walks as the Flames left 14 runners on base including seven at third base alone. Malachi Cloud also had a three-hit night with three RBI and two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, the Flames utilized seven pitchers on the evening as they held Tusculum (19-14) to eight hits and recorded 10 strikeouts.
Lee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening inning as Cloud posted a two-out, two-run infield single. The Pioneers got a run back in the bottom of the first when Ben Scartz drew a two-out walk and later scored on a base hit by Rudy Fernandez.
Lee got the run back in the second when catcher Adam Goolsby led off with a single, moved to third on Ashton Simmons double. A walk loaded the bases as Goolsby would score on a double play ground out to increase the Flames lead to 3-1.
Lee added a run in the third and two more in the fourth to extend its advantage to 6-1.
Meanwhile, Lee starter Colt McKibben overcame the shaky start and blanked the Pioneers for the next two innings. Cole Matthaidess pitched two shutout innings, while Sean Casteel and David White blanked TU in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively. White struck out the side looking the seventh.
The Flames tallied a pair of solo home runs in the sixth inning by Dylan Standifer and Suto to extend the lead to 8-1.
The Pioneers broke through in the eighth inning with three runs. Scartz led off the frame with his ninth double of the season. Christian Ortega and Fernandez drew walks to load the bases. Murphy Flood would fly out to right field to bring home Scartz. But on the play, Ortega was tagged out at third base for the second out of the inning. Wes Reynolds was hit by a pitch to move Fernandez to second and both would move up a base on a wild pitch. Will Samuelson lined a single through the right side to bring home Reynolds and Fernandez to cut the deficit to 8-4.
The Flames added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth on RBI singles from Noah Hattier and Suto for a 10-4 lead.
The Pioneers scored twice in their last at-bat including a RBI double from Fernandez.
Matthadiess (2-0) was credited with the victory as he gave up a walk in his two shutout innings. TU starter Drew Sliwinski (0-3) suffered the loss as he threw the first three innings.
Scartz finished the game going 2-for-4 with three runs scored, while Fernandez and Samuelson each had two-hit performances. Keener's hit by pitch in the ninth inning extended his streak of reaching base safely to 34 consecutive games dating back to last season with is the sixth longest in recorded history. His 34 consecutive games run surpasses Carlos Rivera's run of 33 in a row from Mar. 18, 2007 to Mar. 15, 2008.
The Pioneers will host King University this weekend for a three-game, non-conference series at Pioneer Park beginning with Friday's 6 p.m. single game. The two teams have split the first two encounters this season with the Tornado winning 6-5 in Greeneville in February, while the Pioneers won 13-9 in Bristol in the rematch.
