By Dustin Semore
FHU Information Director
In the top of the ninth inning, the No. 22 Freed-Hardeman University Lions passed the bat with four hits and drawn walks to score four runs to take a 9-5 lead over the No. 10 Missouri Baptist University Spartans. Unfortunately for the Lions, a large thunderstorm passed over Spartan Field and forced an early conclusion. By rule, all stats had to revert to the last completed inning, meaning the Lions and Spartans finished FHU’s regular season in a 5-5 tie.
The Lions (30-16-1) grabbed an early lead with JJ Pruneau leading off the second inning with a single to center. After Cade Fuller was hit by a pitch, Kimmey Johnson rounded off FHU’s order with a single to left to score Pruneau. Christian Presley then laced a double to left-center to score two and give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
A leadoff double, an FHU error, and a home run from Missouri Baptist (33-9-1) knotted the game a 3-3 after the second full inning. Jordan Carter then led off the top of the third with a solo homer to left to put FHU back on top 4-3. In a familiar turn, Missouri Baptist answered with one run in the bottom of the frame to level the scores at 4-4.
Back-to-back errors helped give the Spartans their first lead of the game after a dropped fly ball plated MBU’s fifth run.
As the rain started to fall in St. Louis, Adam Smithson led off the top of the seventh with a single up the middle. After a groundout and a steal of third, Smithson would step on home to make the game 5-5 thanks to Cam Madding’s triple. The eighth inning went by with both teams being retired in order, but the rain came in before the squads were able to determine a winner.
Matthew Riley had the start in a bullpen day, pitching two full innings and striking out two. Colton Bryant and Colton Huntt made rare relief appearances with the former going 3 1/3 innings with four punchouts and the latter going 2 2/3 with two strikeouts.
Jordan Carter and Adam Smithson both went 2-4 in the regular season finale, with Christian Presley driving in a team-high two runs.
Up Next: With their weekend series canceled, the Lions will get into postseason mode: watching the other six teams in the Mid-South Conference compete to determine seeding for the Mid-South Conference Tournament to be held in Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Bowling Green Ballpark from May 1-5.
