No slowing these Bulldogs

Comparatively speaking, Tennessee Wesleyan was conspicuously quiet in the first inning. The Bulldogs didn't score a run. They didn't get a hit. They seemed largely perplexed by the 11 pitches they saw.

This was a notable departure from what we'd seen from the Bulldogs in their previous NAIA World Series games, where they started strong and proceeded to craft impressive victories.

On Tuesday night, they didn't instigate that process until the second inning.

The Bulldogs whipped up another offensive barrage, and this time unloaded it on a backyard rival. They ransacked Lee, turning an anticipated winner's-bracket showdown of Tennessee ballclubs into a 13-3 runaway at Harris Field.

As the field of competitors has dwindled from 10 teams to four, TWC has gradually yet forcefully separated itself from the pack. As a result of solid all-around play Tuesday, but especially due to its offensive exploits, the squad from Athens, Tenn., now sits as the tournament's last unbeaten competitor.

Although a variety of title-determining scenarios remain in play, the Bulldogs have situated themselves in a highly favorable position. While all the remaining participants must win two more games to claim the championship, only TWC has the luxury of being able to lose one in between.

"I think any time you're the undefeated team, yeah, you're sitting pretty," TWC coach Billy Berry said. "But again, there's still a long way to go and this thing is not even close to being over yet."

Yet unless someone can diffuse TWC's incendiary batting order, this tournament will be over in two days.

The fourth-seeded Bulldogs (51-11) pelted Lee with a 13-hit onslaught that produced four multi-run innings. They were especially fierce in the game's middle stage, ringing up 10 runs on seven hits in the fourth through sixth frames.

"We didn't negate any of their rallies," Lee coach Mark Brew said. "We knew we weren't going to shut them out, but we didn't do much in the way making pitches or (defensive) plays to limit what they did.

"They took it to us, and we really didn't have any answer."

Actually, the second-seeded Flames (56-10-1) mustered one response, although it came after the Bulldogs had jumped out 10-0. Lee seemed to crack TWC starter Corey Rhoney in the bottom of the fifth, plating two runs on four hits.

But they left the bases loaded and, worse yet, watched the Bulldogs score four times in the top of the sixth, with three coming on Jordan Guida's eighth home run of the year, to right-center field.

Stephen Branca also homered for TWC, swatting his 18th, a solo shot, in the eighth to close out the scoring.

Taylor Oldham and Dale Ricketts had two doubles apiece for the Bulldogs, who got hits from eight of their starters and runs from seven. TWC is hitting .350 for the Series; the next closest team, Point Park, is at .308.

The Bulldogs, however, aren't getting by solely on their hitting. Rhoney (10-0) pitched eight strong innings, limiting Lee to five hits while striking out six and walking four.

"On this stage, in that game, for that kid to go out his first time in Lewiston and pitch the way he did, we're extremely proud of him," Berry said of Rhoney.

And TWC's play in the field ranged from solid to spectacular, routinely snuffing out any hint of a Lee rally.

"The good thing for us is that we've still got a pulse, and we've still have a game," Brew said. "It's disappointing to lose at any point in this tournament, but to lose in this fashion ... We've just got to put it behind us."

Tenn. Wesleyan 020 343 010-13 13 1

Lee 000 020 001- 3 6 1

Rhoney, Dean (9) and Ricketts. Spilker, Rechenbach (6), Passauer (6), Zimmer (7), Fasolo (9) and Saez.

W - Rhoney (10-0). L - Spilker (7-3).

A. - 1,480.

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Browitt may be contacted at sports@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2268.