LEWISTON, Idaho - Union College scored early and often, but top-seeded Lee (Tenn.) University used two big innings to propel itself to a 14-8 victory Monday in the 2008 Avista-NAIA World Series.

No. 5 seed Union (48-17 overall) drops to the losers' bracket and will play at 11 a.m. Pacific Tuesday. The opponent will be determined later depending on the outcome of Monday's final game between No. 3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) College and No. 2 Oklahoma City University.

Lee (61-8 overall) moves on to face the winner of the that game at 7 p.m.

Union jumped out to an early five-run lead, but an eight-run third inning propelled Lee to the six-run victory, during which the Flames belted three home runs. Lee knocked four four-baggers on the day.

Union wasted little time in grabbing the lead as Kenny Kysar (Corbin, Ky.) and Lioney Henriquez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) began the game with back-to-back singles. After a sac bunt to move the runners up to second and third, Justin Hart (Lake Mary, Fla.) lofted a sac fly to right to score Kysar for a 1-0 Union lead. Josh Ehringer (Somerset, Ky.) then lined a double down the left-field line for a 2-0 margin.

In the second, Union was able to get its first two batters on base and had runners on the corners with one out when Kysar was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Henriquez followed by lining a shot to short, but Brian Bistagne couldn't handle it as two more runs came across for a four-run Union advantage, chasing starting pitcher Dave Mason from the game.

After Union reloaded the bases, Hart roped a single to right to push the lead to 5-0 after two innings of play.

In the bottom of the third, Lee managed to put runners on first and second with one out when Clint Harrelson belted a three-run home run to center field. Bistagne followed with a solo shot to left, cutting the deficit to 5-4. After a walk, Kevin Wyman belted a double to the left-center wall to even the score at 5-5. Following a pitching change for Union, Chris Dubon greeted reliever Russell Logsdon (Bowling Green, Ky.) with a two-run home run to seize a 7-5 lead. Edgar Mercado then made it an 8-5 game with a run-scoring double to left.

In the fourth, Union put the first two runners on base for the third time in the contest. Kysar walked home to cut the margin to 8-6 thanks to a Grinstead sac fly. Hart followed with his second sac fly of the game, sending Henriquez home to make it an 8-7 contest.

Brett McAlpin (Winchester, Ky.) pulled Union even at 8-8 in the fifth with a two-out, run-scoring double, scoring David Fairbanks (Cincinnati, Ohio) easily from second base.

However, Lee reclaimed a 10-8 lead in the bottom of the frame as Jeremy Hutslar lined a one-out, two-run single. Mercado made it an 11-8 contest, coming home on a wild pitch. Then with two outs, Bistagne sent a 0-2 pitch to center field for a RBI single to push the margin to 12-8.

Lee extended the margin to 14-8 in the eighth with a Chris Warters two-run home run.

Union went down quietly in the ninth, sealing the six-run victory for Lee.

Jeff Ibarra tossed the final five inning for Lee, allowing one run on three hits and no walks with four strikeouts to pick up the victory.

Offensively for Lee, Bistagne led the way with a 4-for-4, two-runs, two-RBI performance. Hutslar had two hits, two runs and two RBIs to his credit, while Mercado finished 3-for-3 with two runs and a RBI.

For the second game in a row, Hart knocked in three runs as he went 1-for-3. Kysar scored three times in going 2-for-4. Henriquez also went 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.

Logsdon suffered the loss, dropping him to 4-2 on the year. He gave up six runs - all earned, on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

Bulldog Notes

• Union has had at least a five-run lead in 32 games this season and is now 31-1 in those contests.
• Union has scored in the first inning in 34 of 65 games in 2008, posting a 28-6 mark when doing so.
• Kenny Kysar stole two bases, giving him 41 on the year. This is the first time in program history that Union has had two players to steal 40 or more bases in the same season. Joe Grinstead has 46.
• Justin Hart's three-RBI game was his sixth of the season. Union also now has three players with 59 or more RBIs with Hart at 60, Josh Ehringer at 60 and Grinstead 59.