The win pulled FHU (24-11, 10-4) back within a half-game of second-place Cumberland (Tenn.), which lost in ten innings to conference leader Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) earlier in the day.

Gildea entered the game in the bottom of the eighth in relief of Lion starter Jorge Lorie (6-1) with FHU holding onto a one-run advantage. The Scots promptly loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a hit batsman, but Gildea got Evan Segler - the conference's leading hitter - to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Lyon again threatened in the bottom of the ninth after FHU went scoreless in the top of the frame, putting runners on the corners with two down. Gildea again came up big, this time striking out Michael Armenteros to end the game as the sophomore picked up his second save of the season.

Freed-Hardeman took the lead in the top half of the third on Brian Bullard's fifth homerun of the season, a two-run shot over the left field fence. Lyon countered with a run in the bottom of the inning, and both teams added two more runs in the following inning.

Lyon took its first lead in the bottom of the fifth after what would have been an inning-ending strikeout turned into two runs after the third strike to Aaron Thornton got past FHU catcher Garrett Ammons. But the Lions took it right back on an RBI single by Greg Allen and an RBI double by Michael Clayton in the next inning and wouldn't relinquish it the rest of the game.

Daniel Peck doubled in the seventh and eventually scored on a two-out wild pitch by Lyon pitcher Nick Salahub to give FHU an insurance run that they would end up needing after Brian Kallsnick hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the inning to make it a 7-6 FHU lead.

Gildea came in one inning later and closed out the game.

Allen and Ammons each had two hits for the Lions, who totaled 10 hits in the game. Allen and Bullard each had two RBIs.

The series concludes tomorrow with a double-header beginning at 12:00 noon.