Maxx Catapano made his first start of the season, earning his first win as a Flame. The senior right-hander went five innings, giving up one run on three hits, striking out three and walking two. Matt Passauer worked the final four innings, holding the Bulldogs to two runs, to complete the Lee victory.
The Flames jumped on top in the first inning, as Seth Walker scored the game’s first run on a bases loaded fielder’s choice by Justin Marrero. Roberto Reyes then doubled scoring Angelo Lombardo, who was running for catcher Travis Anderson.
Lee added another run in the second as Designated Hitter Alex Taku walked, stole second base, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Preston Scoggins, and finally scored on an error by Bulldog pitcher, Brady Frey.
The fifth inning saw the Flames push two more runs across, both of them unearned as the Bulldogs committed three errors in the inning. Wesleyan countered in the bottom half, however, getting on the board as Jordan Guida scored on a groundout by Anthony Boix.
The Flames added one insurance run in the eighth and four in the ninth, with the Bulldogs tallying one in the bottom of the ninth to finish the 10-2 contest. All totaled the Flames knocked out nine hits, compared to six for Tennessee Wesleyan.
Reyes was the offensive leader for the Flames, going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI. Five other Flames had hits, with Walker leading the team with three runs scored. The Flames were aggressive on the base paths as well, stealing six bases and getting caught just once.
For Tennessee Wesleyan, Frey gets the loss after going five innings, giving up five runs, two of them earned, on three hits. He walked six Flames and struck out two. Guida was the leader at the plate, going 2-for-4 and scoring the Bulldogs only two runs.
The Flames return to Olympic Field this weekend for a doubleheader against Shawnee State University. The visitors from Portsmouth, Ohio will battle the Flames in single game Friday at 3 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon.
