For the third time this season, the No. 22 Freed-Hardeman University Lions swept a Mid-South Conference opponent, this time on the road against the Cumberland (Tenn.) University Phoenix. Late runs in the first game helped lift the Lions to a 6-3 victory before early runs in the final game completed the sweep with an 11-7 win.
Game One
FHU – 6 CU – 3
The Lions (29-10, 9-2 MSC) and the Phoenix traded scoreless innings in the first and second with the Lions putting up a zero in the top of the third. The stalemate was broken by the home team after a walk was followed by an inning-extending error. The extra at-bat was fatal for the Lions as the next Phoenix batter sent the first pitch he saw over the wall for a three-run blast to put CU on top 3-0.
Cade Fuller opened the top of the fourth with a home run of his own, swinging momentum from Cumberland (18-19, 2-6 MSC) back to FHU’s dugout. A wild pitch with Austin Johnson standing on third base pushed the second Lion run to score to set the score at 3-2 in favor of CU.
Christian Presley had a double down the left field line before Cam Madding mirrored with a two-bagger down the right field line to score Presley as the tying run. Dawson Massengale intended to sacrifice his at-bat to move the goahead run to third base, but the junior beat the throw for an infield single. With runners on the corners, Jordan Carter successfully recorded a sacrifice bunt to drive in Madding as the goahead run.
Johnson finishing off the scoring for FHU in the top of the seventh with a two-run double to finish the scoring on the 6-3 Lion victory.
Houston High (7-2) stood tall on the bump, throwing six innings with three strikeouts with the three runs crossing being unearned. Evan Koob (8) shut the door with a save, retiring all three batters he faced in order.
Cade Fuller and Dawson Massengale finished with two hits, while Austin Johnson’s lone hit driving in a team-high two runs.
Game Two
FHU – 11 CU – 7
The FHU Lions (30-10, 10-2 MSC) pounded out 14 hits in game two, including three for extra bases. After Adam Smithson drew a two-out walk, Cade Fuller singled to left where the speedy Smithson was able to score all the way from first before Austin Johnson’s double drove Fuller home to put the Lions on top 2-0
After Cumberland (18-20, 2-7 MSC) opened up the inning with a throwing error that allowed Dawson Massingale to reach third, Jordan Carter’s RBI single made the score 3-0. After a single from Brady Spring but Carter on third, Smithson placed a sacrifice bunt to bring the score to 4-0 in favor of the Lions.
Three more runs crossed in the top of the third inning when Cannon Daversa came in for a bases-loaded pinch-hit situation. Daversa made the most of his at-bat, singling home both Cam Madding and Christian Presley before Carter drove home the fourth run of the inning to give FHU a 7-0 lead.
Johnson continued to have the hot bat for the Lions, smacking a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put the Lions on top 9-0. Cumberland would have a pair of solid innings, scoring five runs across the fifth and sixth to make the score 9-5 entering the top of the seventh. Brady Spring had a sacrifice fly to drive in FHU’s 10th run before his double in the top of the ninth finished off FHU’s scoring with an 11-7 victory.
Colton Bryant got the start, striking out two in four innings of shutout work. With the winning pitcher being up to the scorer’s discretion, Seth Creasy (4-0) was given the victory after finishing up the game with three innings of effort.
Six different Lions had a multi-hit game with Jordan Carter, Austin Johnson, Cam Madding, Christian Presley, Adam Smithson, and Brady Spring each collecting two base hits. Johnson drove in three runs with Cannon Daversa joined Carter and Spring with two RBI.
