HENDERSON, Tenn. - Jack Coleman worked seven solid innings in his second start of the season, and the bottom of the Freed-Hardeman lineup did its share of damage as the Lions picked up a 9-4 win over Central Methodist (Mo.) on Friday afternoon at Carnes Field.

Coleman (2-0) went seven innings, allowing four runs on nine hits, and did his best work in the fourth through sixth innings where he stranded four runners after allowing them to reach early in each frame. It allowed the Lions to extend their lead to five runs after six innings.

FHU (5-2) jumped ahead early with five runs in the second inning, getting an RBI single from Nathan Van Nortwick and a two-run single from Houston Looser to take a 6-2 lead. CMU got a run back in the third, but Coleman shut them down for the next three innings as Freed-Hardeman led 8-3 after six.

Mike D'Eletto hit a one-out solo home run in the seventh, but FHU got the run back in the eighth on a single by Chase Young. Jordan Newby, meanwhile, worked scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth.

The Lions got big production from the bottom half of the order as Pete Trollinger and Van Nortjwick both went 3-for-4 while Garrett Ferguson went 2-for-4, accounting for eight of FHU's 14 hits. Young, Looser and Zac Carter also had two hits each.

Freed-Hardeman faces CMU again on Saturday at 1:30 followed by a game against the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) at 4:00 PM.