HENDERSON, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lions used a pair of four-run innings to take sizable leads on their way to a 9-4 win in the series opener with Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) on Friday at Carnes Field.

The Lions (17-6, 7-2) scored four times in the first inning on only one hit, then added four more in the fifth to take a commanding 8-2 lead.

After Kyle Dearing led off the game with a single, HLG starter Matthew Tarman struggled with his control loading the bases with a walk and hit batsman, then issued a bases-loaded walk to Cole Veazey. Bobby Seda hit a sacrifice fly to score the second run while the third scored on a wild pitch and the fourth on a double-steal that saw Veazey swipe home.

FHU starter Dan Creighton (4-1) only hit one bump in the road in his eight innings of work, allowing two runs in the fourth aided by three passed balls and an error.

The Lions, though, came back with four runs in the fifth and never let the Trojans back in the game. Prieto and Seda had RBI hits to get things started before Veazey and Trevor Robertson both scored on the same play, a fielder's choice followed by an error that gave FHU an 8-2 lead.

Dearing and Veazey each had a pair of hits for FHU.

The series concludes tomorrow with a double-header starting at noon.