Box Score HENDERSON, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lions scored a combined total of nine runs in the fifth innings of a double-header with Bethel (Tenn.) College, using those rallies to pick up a sweep of the visiting Wildcats, 6-5 and 6-1.

The wins improve FHU to 17-8 on the season and 7-3 in conference, putting the Lions just one-half game behind Cumberland (Tenn.) for second place in the early season standings in the TranSouth.

The series was originally scheduled to have a single game on Friday followed by a Saturday double-header, but rain caused the series to be delayed until Sunday when the teams would play Saturday's double-header. Friday's game would not be able to be made up.

In the first game, the Wildcats did something few teams have done all season: get to FHU starter Jorge Lorie. Bethel got two runs on three hits off of FHU's ace in the fourth, then loaded the bases in the top of the fifth and brought in two more runs on second baseman Michael Clayton's error to take a 4-1 lead.

But the Lions, who managed only two hits through the first four innings, exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Noslen Labrada started the rally with a leadoff double and came home one batter later on Garrett Ammons' single. Leo Alvarez followed with an RBI double and Derek Bush capped the inning with a two-out, three-run homerun.

Lorie (5-1) stranded a runner at third in the top of the sixth before giving way to Javy Gomez, who surrendered a solo homerun with one down in the seventh before retiring the next two hitters to close the game for his second save of the season.

In game two, Carlos Pertuz (4-1) went the distance, allowing one run on five hits while striking out nine Wildcat batters. Alvarez was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a solo homerun in the third. Brian Bullard also left the yard with a three-run blast as part of a four-run fifth inning.

The Lions return to action on Monday with a double-header against Rust (Miss.) College at 6:00 PM.