Box Score HENDERSON, Tenn. - Lincoln Lakoff's RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning helped the Freed-Hardeman Lions earn a double-header split with No. 16 Union (Tenn.) University on Friday evening at Carnes Field.
Both games were pitchers' duels with the Lions taking the nightcap, 2-1, after losing a 1-0 heartbreaker in the opener.
The Lions had chances in the 10th and 11th innings of the second game, putting two runners on base in both innings but couldn't get the winning run home until Lakoff's two-out single ended a marathon game, scoring
Blake Taylor from third base.
Lakoff's hit wasn't the only clutch hit for FHU, who also got a one-out RBI single from
Kirkland Wheeler in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
Hunter Newby,
Drew Suttles and
Josh Reynolds combined to hold Union to only six hits over 13 innings in the second game, with Reynolds (4-1) picking up the win after two perfect innings of relief. Newby worked eight strong innings, allowing only one run on a solo home run by Bryan Hill.
Andy Southard threw a four-hitter in the first game but was matched by Union's Jeremey Stack, who shut out the Lions on five hits. The winning run came in the sixth when a pickoff attempt got away from first baseman
Joe Mike. Mike attempted to throw out the Bulldog runner at third, but the throw was wild and allowed the game's only run to cross the plate.
Justin Mackey had two of FHU's five hits in game one, while Mike went 3-for-6 in game two.
Robert Prieto and
Evan Mansell also had two hits in the second game.
The split helped the Lions (23-25, 9-11) stay in fifth place in the conference standings, a half-game ahead of Bethel (Tenn.) University and 2.5 games ahead of Mid-Continent (Ky.) University. The top six teams will qualify for the conference tournament.
