In the second game of the day, the No. 3 Lady Lions were swarmed by an eight-run inning by the No. 13 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots, falling 8-2.
Despite sitting in a three-way tie for FHU’s (9-6, 2-3 MSC) career home run record, Kennedy Harris-Bennett showed her team-first attitude by drawing a leadoff walk. In what is affectionately called a “Kennedy Triple,” Harris-Bennett stole both second and third to stand on third base with no outs. The special three-bagger paid dividends as Myleah Hardy’s sacrifice fly brought the senior home to take a 1-0 lead.
After taking a base on balls in her second trip to the plate, the Patriots (24-2, 5-0 MSC) learned from their earlier mistake and caught Harris-Bennett stealing to erase the only threat of the third inning.
With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Harris-Bennett placed her name atop Freed-Hardeman’s career home run leaderboard by blasting her career’s 26th homer over the fence in left to put FHU ahead 2-0.
The celebration was short-lived as the Patriots stunned the Lady Lions by scoring eight runs off of seven hits in a fifth inning in which FHU needed three different pitchers to escape the frame.
Ultimately, Brittany Adair (6-4) was saddled with the 8-2 loss in 4 1/3 innings. Chloe Winters and Katelyn Bradford helped get out of that fifth inning.
In addition to Harris-Bennett’s home run, Myleah Hardy and Karli Quillin collected FHU’s other two hits.
