CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- A five-run fifth inning for NCCAA Mideast Regional host Lee University keyed the Bluefield College baseball team's 7-3 defeat on Wednesday. The inning turned a 2-1 deficit into a 6-2 advantage and the Flames never looked back as they advanced to what could be the championship game on Thursday evening.

The Rams now face No. 3 seed Hiwassee College at 2 p.m., Thursday. The winner will face Lee at approximately 5 p.m., and would need to defeat the Flames to force the if necessary championship game, which would be played Friday.

The Rams took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Sawyer McLamb double, knocking in Tyler Timmer and Chris McCollister.

A sacrifice fly in the third plated the Flames' first run, before Lee claimed the lead with a five-run fifth inning. Lee tallied four hits in the frame and was also aided by a pair of Rams errors to take the 6-2 lead.

Bluefield added a run in the sixth on a Ben Rife groundout to the pitcher, but the Rams left the bases loaded in the inning.

Lee added a run in the bottom half, leading to the 7-3 final.

Dylan Ruth (1-6) went 4.1 innings with the start, allowing just two hits but five runs. He walked five, but also had eight strikeouts. Cory Niten allowed three hits and one run in .2 innings. Zach Tapia, Dylan Cole and Kaleb Houchins pitched an inning apiece to close the game.

Dustin Lawson (7-1) went five innings for the Flames, allowing seven hits and three runs.Michael James and Kyle Briner threw two innings apiece to close the game, allowing just one hit the rest of the way.