SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A quick start by Benedictine-Springfield (Ill.) proved to be too much for the Freed-Hardeman Lions to overcome as they fell to the Bulldogs, 7-4, in the quarterfinals of the American Midwest Conference tournament.

The Bulldogs scored two runs in both the second and third innings to take a 4-0 lead, and never surrendered that edge as Jordan Pesko went the distance to send FHU to the elimination bracket.

Joe Creasy (2-2) took the loss, allowing five runs over four innings of work.

Benedictine-Springfield led 5-0 before the Lions (30-21) were able to put a run on the board. Pesko faced the minimum in the first three innings but ran into trouble in the fourth after back-to-back singles by Kyle Dearing and Lincoln Lakoff led off the inning. Both were eventually erased on the basepaths, Dearing tagged out while trying to return to third and Lakoff cut down stealing, but Garrett Ferguson's single brought home Robert Prieto and Cole Veazey later scored on a balk.

The Bulldogs picked up another run in the fifth, this time off of reliever Brandon Guske, to lead by four and made it 7-2 in the seventh.

Pete Trollinger answered with a two-run home run with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Pesko finished strong by retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced.

The Lions will face Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) on Friday at 10:00 AM in an elimination game to open the day. The Trojans took No. 9 Missouri Baptist to the wire before losing, 4-3.