By Dustin Semore
FHU Sports Information Director
Sunday afternoon Zach Sanders broke FHU’s career at-bat record by stepping to the plate for the 780th time, but it was a pair of defensive gems that helped him and the Lions take game three to win the series against the No. 25 Cumberland (Tenn.) University Phoenix 6-1.
The FHU Lions (21-14, 10-8 MSC) took the lead in the early going against the Phoenix with Baron Ratliff shooting a single up the middle of the diamond in the second inning, but it was the long ball of Mason Libla (6) that put the hosts on the board to take a 2-0 lead. Anthony Jarvis followed with a single, then marched around the horn when a failed pickoff attempt went into right field to see Jarvis planted on third base. The aided advancement did not matter when Adam Smithson tallied an RBI double into left field to score Jarvis as the third run of the inning.
The Phoenix (22-8-1, 12-2 MSC) answered with a run of their own in the top of the fourth inning with a leadoff double. Two batters later, the bases were full of Cumberland runners with no outs when the Lions surrendered a run, but turned a double play to limit the damage. With a runner on third base, the Phoenix batter shot a hard line drive to left field where a diving Jarvis flashed the leather to end the CU threat and keep FHU’s lead intact 3-1.
Putting the Lions in a jam in the top of the sixth inning, Cumberland placed a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. A hard line drive up the middle was sure to plate two runners, but Sanders’ jumping grab saved the runs. After a walk loaded the bases, FHU starter Colton Bryant struck out the final batter he faced to end the threat.
Trace Anderson led off the eighth inning with a single to left field, followed by the Cumberland defense thinking too far ahead to a double play opportunity, misplaying a grounder to put Anderson on second and Ratliff on first as the benefactor of the error. After a sacrifice bunt attempt ended with a popout to the catcher, Jarvis (3) went the opposite of small ball by hitting a three-run blast to right field to put FHU on top for good 6-1.
Colton Bryant (2-0) picked up the win, allowing one run on two hits while striking out five Phoenix across six innings. Returning to the hill after a short absence, Luis Torres-Lopez earned his season’s first save with three innings of work where he surrendered one hit while punching out three.
Anthony Jarvis provided the spark for the Lions’ 11-hit day, going 3-4 and driving in three runs. Will McCall and Trace Anderson each tallied two hits, while Mason Libla drove in two runs.
