By Dustin Semore
FHU Sports information Director
The top of the No. 5 Freed-Hardeman Univer-sity Lady Lion order took care of business on Sunday against the No. 12 William Carey (Miss.) University Cru-saders. The top four batters amassed nine of FHU’s 15 hits in the 11-0 win completed in six innings.
FHU (6-3) was off to a good start when Kennedy Harris-Bennett led off the contest with a single, moving to second on Karli Quillin’s groundout, eventually stealing third. An infield single from Sophie Dunavant put the catcher aboard but was not enough to plate Harris-Bennett. What was enough was Myleah’s first base knock to score Harris-Bennett and move Dunavant to third base. After Anna Kate Norton walked to load the bases, Cassie Hayes’ two-out knock scored the second run of the inning to give FHU the 2-0 lead after the first inning.
Harris-Bennett tallied the second of her three hits in the top of the second inning with a single, followed by a stolen base. After Quillin’s single put runners on the corners, a double-steal plated Harris-Bennett and put Quillin into scoring position. Hardy’s second hit in as many innings was a double to score Quillin and give the Lady Lions a 4-0 lead. William Carey (13-5) put their first two runners on base with a walk and a hit batter, but neither could advance.
After not scoring in the top of the third inning, Sophie Dunavant’s single was followed by Hardy’s beanball. A double steal of Dunavant and Hardy’s pinch runner Gracie Wilson put both runners in scoring position. Catherine Crabb drove in Dunavant, but a fielding error from WCU allowed Crabb to remain on first. Another fielding error by the Crusaders saw Hayes stand on first while Wilson tapped home for an unearned run.
The big inning for the ladies in maroon and white was the top of the fifth inning when Hardy led things off with a single, chased by a single from Norton and a walk drawn by Hayes to load the bases. Mattie Boyett’s single moved everybody 60 feet including bringing Hardy home. A pinch-hit sacrifice fly by Brooklynn Jimmer-son drove in Norton to leave Hayes and Boyett on base to set up Harris-Bennett who saved her best swing for last. The Thompsonville, Illinois, native fired a moonshot over the right-field fence to collect her season’s third blast and put the Lady Lions on top 11-0.
In the circle, Brittany Adair (4-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning for the second time in four starts. The senior shut out the Crusaders by allowing one hit and striking out eight and giving up one walk.
Kennedy Harris-Bennett was 3-5 from the dish, driving in a team-high three runs with her homer, while Hardy tallied three hits including her second-inning double. Sophie Dunavant and Karli Quillin each tallied two base hits, while every other Lady Lion in the lineup collected one hit.
Up Next: Mid-South Conference action comes to Tucker Field when the Lady Lions host the Tigers of Georgetown (Ky.) College for a three-game series on March 10-11. A single game is set to begin at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 10, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, March 11, beginning at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
