Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MCKENZIE, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lions picked up a big win to open the weekend, fighting back from an early deficit to defeat No. 13 Bethel (Tenn.) University, 10-8, in the first game of a three-game series.

After Robert Prieto led off the game with a home run to give FHU a quick lead, Bethel jumped on Lion starter Hunter Newby early and knocked the 6-foot-8 righty out of the game before he got out of the first inning. Newby gave up five runs on five hits - including a two-run home run by Jonathan Deberry - before giving way to Gage Franklin with two outs. The freshman got FHU out of the inning by getting Bethel leadoff hitter Jay Lowery to ground back to the pitcher's mound.

It was the start of eight straight Bethel hitters retired by Franklin, who kept the Wildcats off the board for the next three innings and gave the Lions (25-11, 5-2) a chance to get back into the game.

Brian Bullard helped the Lions do just that with a three-run home run (8) in the third to bring FHU within one run. Bethel (23-6, 3-4) answered in the fifth inning on Jake Ramsey's solo shot, which was also the first hit allowed by Franklin (4-1).

The Lions broke through again in the sixth inning, taking the lead with four runs in the frame on RBI singles by Derek Bush, Evan Mansell and Leamond Arthur.

The two teams traded punches over the next two innings, sometimes in the form of solo home runs - FHU's coming from Evan Mansell, his third of the season. Each team would score one run from the bottom of the sixth through the top of the eighth, with Arthur's double leading to Prieto coming in to score on a Bethel error, giving the Lions a 10-8 lead.

Amos Bingham entered in the eighth and shut down the WIldcats for the last two innings to pick up the save, retiring six of the seven hitters he faced.

Arthur led the way at the plate for Freed-Hardeman with three hits. Prieto and Mansell each had two hits.