Sun., Feb. 7, 2010

   CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Well, at least on the second day of the season, the University of Saint Francis got a lead, though it lasted about as long as a bite of cotton candy.

   Taylor Futterknecht belted a two-run home run in the top of the first in Game 1 against NAIA Top 25 fifth-ranked Lee University for a 2-0 lead, but the Flames rallied to win 8-5, then no-hit the Cougars winning Game 2 17-0 in 4  1/2 innings.

   Futterknecht's 16th career home run moved up into a tie for third on the USF career home run list with Widman (2004-07) and Darrin Bloebaum (1985-87). Futter went 3-for-3 to lead a seven-hit USF offensive.

  Lee bounced back with three runs off USF starting pitcher Trevor Pulver to vault in front 3-2. The Flames added two more runs in the third. USF cut the 5-2 deficit to 5-3 in the top of the fourth when Chase Gaff doubled to deep right-centerfield driving in Ian Clay, who was a courtesy runner for Futterknecht. Gaff scampered over to third on a wild relay from the outfield and scored when Tyler Gregory hit a sacrafice fly to shortstop drawing USF within a run at 5-4.

  Lee restored a three-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jose Cuevas belted a a two-run homer to left on Pulver's first pitch. The Flames added a run in the bottom of the fifth off USF reliever Patrick Brown for an 8-4 lead. USF scored one run in the top of the seventh when Tristen Peffley led off with a walk and eventually scored on Jerrid Rydell's pinch-hit single down the left-field line. Gregory struck out looking for the second out of the inning and Colin Zwiebel grounded into a game-ending fielder's choice.

  Lee starter Scott Swinson pitched four innings, struck out six and walked one to pick up the win. Pulver suffered the loss after he pitched 3 2/3 innings, yielded six hits, seven runs, just two earned. He walked three and fanned three in his first start for the Cougars.

  Jon Saporsantos and Ben Martin had one hit apiece for USF, which left nine men on base.

 In Game 2, the Flames used two runs in the first and eight in the second (on six hits) to chase Gaff in his first start of the season. Lee's David Eskew pitched four innings and Justin Frazier pitched the fifth for the combined 5-inning no-hitter.

  The Cougars had two base runners, Saporsantos on a walk in the first inning with two outs, and Futterknecht in the fourth with two outs.

   USF is 0-4 and will resume play back in Tennesee this Friday in against 11th-ranked Tennsee Wesleyan, which is located in Athens, Tenn., just north of Cleveland and southwest of Knoxville.