KINGSPORT, Tenn. - After five-and-half innings, things didn't look too good for the Freed-Hardeman Lion baseball team in its second-ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.

A three-run sixth, aided by two FHU errors, gave Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) a 5-0 lead. The Lion offense, meanwhile, was having trouble getting anything going against Blue Raider starter Chris Erker.

But if Freed-Hardeman has shown anything this season, it's that the team can score runs quickly. And they did, plating a run in the bottom of the sixth and three in the seventh before the rally came up one run short as FHU fell to the Mid-South Conference champions, 5-4, on Tuesday afternoon.

FHU (35-15) had a good scoring chance in the eighth, putting the tying run in scoring position after a leadoff double by Bobby Seda. Pinch-runner Mark Salisbury eventually moved to third on a groundout but LWC reliever Matt Lashlee stranded him there.

Carlos Pena then retired Freed-Hardeman in order in the ninth to close out the game and pick up his third save of the year.

The Lions were unable to capitalize on a solid effort on the mound from Nolan Huber (5-3). The junior went the distance, scattering eight hits and striking out four. Errors did most of the damage to FHU as the Blue Raiders' first three runs all scored as the result of defensive miscues. But it was Aaron Ashton's two-run double in the sixth that turned out to be the key hit of the game as it put LWC ahead, 5-0.

The Freed-Hardeman offense finally got to Erker in the sixth with three conseuctive two-out singles, the last of which came from Seda to drive in Salisbury from second.

The Lions then strung together three straight hits to open the seventh with Nathan Van Nortwick's two-run double making it 5-3. Argenis Salazar later brought the Lions within one run thanks to his third hit of the day, an infield single that scored Van Nortwick from third.

But the Blue Raider (39-17) bullpen did its job in the last two innings, protecting the lead to advance in the winner's bracket.

FHU had its chances in the first inning with three hits, but one baserunner was erased via pickoff and another was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Lions out-hit LWC, 12-8, getting a 3-for-3 performance from Salazar and two hits each from Seda, Van Nortwick and Zac Carter.

Freed-Hardeman now heads into the elimination bracket where it will face Judson (Ill.) on Wednesday at 10:00 AM CDT.

NOTES AND NUMBERS: The Lions are now 0-3 in games in the national tournament opening round. FHU went 0-2 at the tournament in 2012...Salazar's three-hit game was his sixth of the season...Van Nortwick and Seda both reached the 50-RBI threshold in the game, giving FHU four players with 50-plus RBIs (Salazar, Houston Looser)...Huber went the distance in a nine-inning game for the third time this season.