By Dustin Semore
FHU Sports Information Director
With a weekend ravaged by bad weather, the Freed-Hardeman University Lions and the (RV) Campbell-ville (Ky.) University Tigers wrapped up a three-game series on Sunday afternoon. In the second game of a doubleheader, the Lions claimed victory in the rubber match with a 4-2 final.
Freed-Hardeman (19-12, 8-7 MSC) got off to a good start after Zach Sanders shot a single past the CU shortstop, but could not wrap around to score. Earning the start, Colton Bryant struck out the first two Tigers he faced before forcing a groundout.
The tough inning for the Tigers (15-14, 9-6 MSC) was second, with Sean Rooney leading off the frame with a single down the left-field line. Rooney would advance to second by way of a passed ball before Baron Ratliff reached on a walk. Trace Anderson would take a big swing at the first pitch he saw, tallying his career’s first home run on the three-run shot. After keeping the inning rolling with a single, Adam Smithson stole second and was able to take third on an errant throw by the Campbellsville catcher. The junior would then score on a wild pitch to put the Lions on top 4-0.
The Tigers answered back in their half of the third with a leadoff walk followed by a hit batsman. A sacrifice bunt would move both runners into scoring position before a wild pitch brought home the first CU run. An RBI single up the middle would plate the second Tiger run of the day to set the score at 4-2.
Camden Madding would punch a one-out double to left field in the top of the seventh inning but was unable to score, while Sean Rooney suffered the exact same fate in the top of the eighth.
With Colton Bryant not pitching the required five complete innings, Luis Torres-Lopez (3-3) picked up the win in relief, pitching four innings of scoreless baseball while striking out three. Nolan Wells notched his fifth save of the season, leaving two stranded in the bottom of the ninth.
Up Next: The Lions return to Five Wells Field for a three-game series with the No. 25 Cumberland (Tenn.) Phoenix on April 1-2.
