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FINDING A WAY OUT — Lee University’s Trey Burstrom (6) looks for an escape rout after getting caught in a rundown during Monday’s NAIA World Series action in Lewiston, Idaho. Burstrom was able to avoid getting tagged out on the play as the Flames blanked the top-ranked, home-standing Lewis-Clark State team 8-0 to advance to the national championship Final Four for the third straight year. The fourth-seeded Flames will face No. 2 Cumberland (Tenn.) University tonight at 10 p.m.
Swinson was simply overpowering against the Warrior offense in the 8-0 victory. Lewis-Clark (48-4) averaged 8.2 runs and hit .306 during the season. Swinson threw 117 pitches, including 80 for strikes, to keep the tournament’s No. 1-seeded team in check. He struck out 11, walked one, and allowed only one Warrior base-runner to reach second.
“I tried to keep them off-balance and we put some runs on the board,” said Swinson. “It was a pleasure to pitch here, just an experience. I’m glad they (Lewis-Clark State) brought 5,200 fans (5,225, which was the 6th largest ever). We are happy to be here and now we have to concentrate on playing tomorrow.” The Flames must now face the No. 2 seed, Cumberland University, an 8-1 winner over Oklahoma City.
Swinson improved to 11-0 on the season and helped Lee (51-11) stay undefeated in the 10-team double-elimination tournament. The Flames, seeded No. 4, are guaranteed no worse than a fourth-place finish.
While Lee was rolling, the Warriors were reeling in dropping to 48-4 on the season. LCSC, which had its 18-game win streak snapped, committed four errors, leading to only three of Lee’s eight runs being earned. It’s only the third time in 152 World Series games Lewis-Clark has been shut out and the first time this season it has been blanked. The four hits also were a season low and the margin of defeat tied its worst loss in Series history.
It easily could have been worse because Lee left 15 runners stranded, including the bases loaded in both the second and fourth innings. “I worried about that coming back to haunt us, especially after we left the bases loaded twice in the early innings,” said coach Mark Brew, “but our guys took advantage of their mistakes, and we were able to give Swinson all the support he needed. Scott was just brilliant.”
Flames’ pitching coach Michael Moody said calling the game for Swinson was easy. “He had command of all four of his pitches. This probably was his best performance of the year. He beat an awfully good Lewis-Clark team.”
Lee picked up a run in the top of the first off LCSC starter Tyler Lichty when Junior Rodriguez was hit by a pitch with two outs. After a single by Jose Cuevas, Michael Brown followed with a ground ball to LCSC shortstop Josh Ashenbrenner, who fired to first, but LCSC first baseman Brian Gaylord couldn’t handle the throw, allowing Cuevas to score from second.
Lee used a walk, a throwing error and a single on a bunt to load the bases with no outs in the second. LCSC looked like it might escape from the jam after a forced out at home and a pop-up, but Rodriguez drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run.
The Flames added a run in the sixth when Tanner Moore singled and eventually scored on a double by Brown. Lee then broke the game open with two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth. Seth Walker started the rally in the seventh with a single and scored on a fielding error. J.J. Costantino added a RBI double in the inning.
The final three runs for the Fames came when an error allowed a runner to reach base to start the eighth and Brown followed with a RBI double, his second of the night. A hit batter and walk eventually loaded the bases and consecutive runs came in on a fielder’s choice grounder and a wild pitch.
In the meantime, Swinson mowed through the Warrior lineup, retiring eight in a row at one point. Only Pat Murray and Jason Hague had Swinson’s number as both finished with two hits. The rest of the Warrior lineup was 0-for-24.
Brown went 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Walker was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Trey Burstrom had three singles, scored once and drove in a run. Sacrifice bunts by Taylor Comford and Burstrom were keys to getting the Warriors frustrated in the second inning.
Lichty took the loss to fall to 4-1. He gave up three hits and two unearned runs in 4.2 innings. He also walked five and struck out five. Tim Stuvland went the next four innings and gave up seven hits and six runs, three of which were earned. In all, Lichty and Stuvland combined for eight walks.
Tuesday’s action features three games. Oklahoma City faces Point Loma Nazarene at 2 p.m., followed by Embry Riddle and Lewis-Clark State at 6 p.m., both in loser-out play. Tuesday’s late game has the two tourney unbeatens, Cumberland and Lee, facing off at 10 p.m. The Flames’ radio broadcast begins at 9:55 p.m. on WCLE 104.1 FM.
Flames Facts: Lewis-Clark State is shut out for the first time in the World Series in the last 22 games (5-0 vs. Embry-Riddle in 2005)... Lee improves to 10-8 in the World Series and wins at least two games for the third straight season... Lewis-Clark State falls to 84-19 in the World Series when played in Lewiston...Costantino made his second straight diving catch of the Series.
