HENDERSON, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lions had a difficult task to tackle heading into the final weekend of the regular season, needing to sweep the ninth-ranked team in the country in order to have a shot at a conference title.

FHU stayed close in both ends of a double-header to open the series on Friday, but the pitching of No. 9 Missouri Baptist won out as the Spartans swept the day, 3-1 and 5-3.

The Lions (30-19, 16-10) hold a half-game lead over Benedictine-Springfield (Ill.) for fourth place. BU-S plays a double-header tomorrow while FHU plays one to wrap up the regular season.

Starting in place of an injured Greg Young, Joe Creasy had a solid pitching performance in his first weekend start throwing six innings with six strikeouts and allowed 3 runs.

But Creasy's counterpart, Brandon Zywicki, matched him and then some as he held the Lions to one run which came in the first inning. After leading off with a single, Kyle Dearing stole second and third and came in to score on a wild throw.

The Lions missed on a good scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fourth after loading the bases with one out, but came up empty as Zywicki worked out of the jam. As it turned out, it would be the last real chance for FHU.

In game two, Orlando Olivera blasted a two-run home run in the first inning and the Spartans tacked on two more in the third, putting the Lions in another deficit from which they could not quite recover - though they came close.

Ethan Mayberry's sacrifice fly in the second scored FHU's first run, and the Lions added another in the bottom of the third when Mark Salisbury scored on an infield grounder off the bat of Dearing.

From there, it became a pitchers' duel between Dan Creighton and David Mullins as both shut their opponent down for the next four innings.

MBU broke through again in the eighth on a two-out single to go ahead 5-2. Pete Trollinger tried to start a two-out rally in the ninth with a solo home run, and Storm Bates followed with a single to bring the tying run to the plate but Michael Murano retired Connor Kohlscheen to end the game.

Hits on the day were nearly equal as both had six in game one and MBU held a 9-8 edge in game two. Cole Veazey had two hits in the nightcap for Freed-Hardeman while Robert Prieto went 2-for-3 in game one.

The series concludes on Saturday at noon. Freed-Hardeman's 16 seniors will be honored before the game at approximately 11:40.