JACKSON, Tenn. - Ryan Wood worked seven strong innings and the Freed-Hardeman offense took control of the game in the third and fourth innings as the Lions picked up an 8-4 win over NCAA Division II Union (Tenn.) University on Thursday evening.

Wood (2-0) allowed three runs in seven innings and stranded nine Bulldog runners while Joe Creasy handled the final two innings to earn his first save of the season.

After Union got a run in the first to take an early lead, the Lions (21-2-1) grabbed the lead for good after scoring three times in the third inning. Bobby Seda got FHU on the board with an RBI single to plate Justin Mackey from second, and Seda later came home after a sacrifice fly by Joe Mike. Ryan Huber scored from third on a wild pitch to give Freed-Hardeman a 3-1 lead.

The Lions added to that lead in the fourth after a two-run single by Huber made it 5-1.

Union got two runs back in the fifth that were aided by a pair of FHU errors, but Wood stranded two runners and kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for the next two innings before giving way to Creasy.

Freed-Hardeman added a cushion in the ninth with three more runs, two from a double by Mike and the final on an RBI single by Jake Todd. Union managed to get a run in the bottom of the ninth but that was all Creasy allowed as he closed the game.

Mackey and Seda each had three hits for the Lions, who had 11 as a team. Mike led the run production with three RBIs.

FHU opens a three-game series with Blue Mountain (Miss.) College on Friday at 5:00 PM.