Despite trailing by as many as seven runs, the (RV) Freed-Hardeman University Lions battled back against the Bethel (Tenn.) University Wildcats with a five-run fifth inning. The comeback fell short with the Wildcats taking the game two victory 7-6.
Sean Rooney collected the first hit of the day for the Lions (26-17, 13-10 MSC) with a double to lead off the bottom of the second. Three consecutive flyouts left the graduate student stranded at second.
The Wildcats (13-17, 9-14 MSC) tallied a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning with a solo homer and a two-out RBI single to jump ahead 2-0. Bethel would forge ahead in the top of the fifth frame by plating five runs on four hits including a two-run blast.
After a strikeout began the bottom of the fifth, Mason Libla connected for his season’s eighth home run over the fence in left field to spark the FHU offense. William Kelley reached by way of an error before Christian Presley legged out a bunted single. Adam Smithson’s single loaded the bases for the Lions before Will McCall and Rooney each drove in a run with a single to cut into the Bethel lead at 7-4. Zach Sanders perfectly placed a single into the gap in right-center to score both Smithson and McCall to end the five-run fifth for the Lions.
Looking to continue chipping away at the Bethel lead, Freed-Hardeman’s Camden Madding led off the sixth frame in a pinch-hitting role with a double that scraped the center field wall. After Baron Ratliff returned to run, a wild pitch set up Libla to sacrifice his at-bat with a fly ball to center to score Ratliff. McCall tallied a one-out base hit in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to score to end the day’s first game with a 7-6 loss for FHU.
Colton Huntt (6-4) took the hill for the Lions where he struck out five batters in four innings of action.
The men in maroon out-hit the Wildcats 11-10, where Will McCall, Christian Presley, and Zach Sanders each tallying two base hits. Sanders joined Mason Libla with two RBIs each.
