Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HENDERSON, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lions had 11 hits but struggled to get runners around to score, dropping the opener of a three-game series with Bethel (Tenn.) University, 12-3, on Friday night at Carnes Field.

FHU had at least one hit in six of the first seven innings. However, the Lions stranded nine baserunners during that stretch while Bethel made the most of its opportunities, particularly in the fourth inning.

The first four Bethel hitters reached in the top of the fourth - the first three with base hits and the fourth on a walk - on the way to a four-run inning that gave the Wildcats a comfortable 6-1 lead. Three of those runs came after a two-out error by Kyle Dearing gave the Wildcats new life and they made the most of it, capped off by a two-run double by Chris Cain.

Bethel (15-13-2, 5-8) added a run in the sixth, three in the seventh and two in the eighth as the Wildcats pounded out 16 hits in the contest.

FHU took an early lead in the first inning on Evan Mansell's RBI double before falling behind 7-1 after Bethel scored in the top of the sixth. The Lions answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Dustin Speight and picked up their final run in the seventh when Kirkland Wheeler's triple brought home Mansell.

Mansell, Robert Prieto and Leamond Arthur each had two hits for Freed-Hardeman, which falls to 15-20 on the season and 3-7 in conference play. Andy Southard (2-3) took the loss, allowing six runs - three earned - in 3.2 innings.

The series concludes tomorrow with a double-header beginning at 1:00 PM.