LEWISTON, Idaho — Lee University is the NAIA baseball runner-up for the second time in three years, with a third-place finish in between, after the Flames’ ninth-inning rally fell short Thursday night against another Tennessee team, Cumberland University. The second-seeded Bulldogs edged the No. 4 Flames 4-3 after All-American pitcher Aaron Wilkerson took a 4-0 lead into the last inning. His catcher, David Fanshawe, hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and a two-run single in the fifth off Matthew Gilson, who struck out seven batters in 5 2/3 innings but lost for the first time in 11 decisions in 2010. Lee All-American Junior Rodriguez began the Flames’ last-chance at-bat with a walk but was forced at second base on Jose Cuevas’ bloop that fell in the outfield. Edgar Molina then singled and Baylor School graduate Michael Brown blasted a three-run home run. Seth Walker singled to left field to get the tying run on base, but Taylor Comford bounced back to Wilkerson (14-1) for a game-ending double play. JJ Costantino, another All-American, and Molina each was 2-for-4 for Lee (52-13). NAIA player of the year Matt Greener and Dave Weyer each was 2-for-4 and Kris Miller and Fanshaw each was 2-for-5 for Cumberland (58-9), which also won the 2004 NAIA title under longtime coach Woody Hunt. Miller was voted most valuable player of the tournament, and Lee’s Costantino got the Charlie Hustle Award. Comford and Scott Swinson from Lee made the all-tournament team. Swinson also was the pitcher on the 2010 NAIA Gold Glove team.
* Junior shortstop Jonathan Davis and senior pitchers Ben Young and Daniel Zimmerman from Bryan College were Daktronics-NAIA Baseball Scholar-Athletes for 2010. To qualify, a player must be at least a junior with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
* The Tennessee Styx collegiate-age baseball team is scheduled to open its inaugural Great South League season today at 2 p.m. at Engel Stadium with a doubleheader against the Cobb Premier Stars. The same teams will play Sunday at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, Ga., in another doubleheader starting at 2. They are among 19 teams representing seven states. The Styx will use Engel for their Saturday home games with tickets costing $8 for adults or $40 for a season pass. They have one Sunday matchup at Bradley Central High School.
Track & Field
* After officially being presented Thursday night her already announced H. Boyd McWhorter Award as the top female scholar-athlete in the Southeastern Conference for 2009-10, Tennessee senior Phoebe Wright from Signal Mountain was announced Friday as the South Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year. That honor from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association recognized her 11-0 record at 800 meters this year and her key role in three distance relay victories at the Penn Relays for the second year in a row, among other accomplishments. She won the NCAA 800 indoor title and has the nation’s best outdoor 800 time going into that national meet. She already is an eight-time All-American and shares in the world record for the indoor distance medley relay.
Swimming
* LONG BEACH, Calif. — Recent McCallie School graduate Sean Ryan finished seventh Friday in the 10-kilometer race in the U.S. Open Water swim championships. Ryan, who’s headed to the University of Michigan but is only 17 years old, completed the course in a rowing basin off the Pacific Ocean in 1 hour, 58 minutes, 42 seconds. Everyone ahead of him was older. Ryan swims the 5k on Sunday.
Fishing
* Wesley Strader of Spring City earned $9,870 for finishing 28th in the pro division of the FLW Tour bass tournament last week on Lake Quachita in Arkansas. He brought in 32 pounds, 9 ounces. Dalton’s Van Roy Foster was 32nd in the co-angler division with 14-15.
Auto Racing
* Ray Cook, who races often at Cleveland Speedway and other area tracks from Brasstown, N.C., won $30,000 for winning the DART Show Me 100 last Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.