Matt Barker, Sports Information Director

HENDERSON, Tenn. - The No. 18 Freed-Hardeman Lion baseball team looks to continue their hot start to the season as they host a four-game series with University of St. Francis beginning today with a 2:00 PM double-header match-up at Carnes Field.

SERIES SLATE

Friday, February 19th- Double-header beginning at 2:00 PM

Saturday, February 20th- Double Header beginning at 12:00 PM

COVERAGE

LIVE STATS / TWITTER

SETTING THE STAGE

FHU (5-2, 0-0 AMC) enters the series with St. Francis coming off two wins in their opening weekend at home against St. Catharine (Ky.) College (3-4) last Thursday and Friday. Nolan Huber and Jared Humphry combined for a 3-0 shutout of the Patriots in the opening game of the series to propel the Lions to 4-1 on the season.

Huber (1-0) worked six innings in the win, pitching a shutout on just three hits, while striking out five in his second start of the season. Humphry offered three innings of relief and had two strikeouts while giving up just two hits in the victory.

The Lions had to work in their home opener as the game began as a pitching duel, where Huber and St. Catharine pitcher Daniel Lerma battled it out on the mound. Lerma would pitch six solid innings for the Patriots and would fan eight while allowing just four hits and one walk.

In the second game of the series FHU would strike first as they put together an early two-out rally in the bottom half of the first inning to get on the board. Garrett Ferguson would get the drive started for the Lions as he doubled down the left field line to advance Chase Young to third, who reached on a walk.

Houston Looser would reach on a walk in the next at bat to load the bases up with two outs, where Pete Trollinger would bring in two runs on a single to left centerfield to give the Lions an early 2-0 lead.

Brandon Guske would shut the Patriots down in his first five innings of work as he fanned six batters and allowed just four hits.

However, the Patriots (3-4) would battle back in the top half of the sixth, where Alfredo Bohorquez would get a two-out rally started for St. Catharine with a double to deep center. Bohorquez would later score on a single by Hector Quinones. Patriot first baseman Nicco Lollio would follow suit and hit a double of his own to deep left center to score Quinones all the way from first base to even the score at two apiece in the seven inning game.

FHU and St. Catharine would remain knotted up at two apiece until the bottom half of the eighth inning, where the Lions would put together another two-out rally to put them in position for the victory. Chase Young and Garrett Ferguson would both reach on walks to put Young in scoring position at second base. Houston Looser would take over from there as he was able to hit the ball just over the head of St. Catharine third baseman Evan Smith to allow Young to score the game winning run to give the Lions the 3-2 win.

Brandon Guske (1-1) worked eight full innings, striking out eight and walking just one for his first victory of the season.

The Lions would fall behind early in the second game on Friday, but would continue to battle and keep things interesting until the final out in the seventh inning. Jack Coleman (0-1) would get the start in the game and would struggle early on as he went just one and two thirds innings after giving up four runs in the top of the second inning to put the Lions in an early hole.

Beau Caviness would replace Coleman in the second inning and would not allow any more damage as the Lions entered the bottom half of the second with a 4-0 deficit. However, Caviness would give up two runs of his own in the top half of the third to put the Lions down 6-0 early on in the game.

Brice Stratton would replace Caviness in the third inning as another run charged to Caviness would score to put the Lions down 7-0 entering the bottom half of the third.

The Lions would get on the board in the bottom half of the third as Griffin Siebert would reach base after being hit by a pitch. Siebert would later reach third off a single by Joseph Leatherwood and would score later in the drive on a wild pitch by St. Catharine pitcher Marvin Galarza.

The Patriots would add one more run in the top half of the fourth inning as a single by Drew Kissel would score Santiago Arce to put St. Catharine up 8-1. The Lions would hold the Patriots to eight runs for the remainder of the game.

FHU would continue to chip away at the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning to make it 8-4 as J.C. Daily would score on a wild pitch followed by a run by Chase Young off a single by Zac Carter.

The Lions would make a late charge in the bottom half of the seventh inning as Ferguson, Van Nortwick and Looser would all score, but it would not be enough as St. Catharine pitcher Jake McCoy was able to close out the game to give the Patriots an 8-7 victory.

LAST TIME THEY MET

The last time the Lions faced the Saints was last season on February 14, 2015 where FHU picked up an 11-5 win. FHU crossed the plate seven times in the second inning to give starter Nolan Huber all the cushion he needed. The Saints scored twice in the third, but the Lions answered in the bottom of the inning aided by a solo shot by Bobby Seda.

Huber went four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Jared Humphry and Beau Caviness combined for three innings of relief and allowed two runs.

Argenis Salazar went 2-for-3 in the game, finishing the day with five RBIs. Bobby Seda, Chase Young and Houston Looser all had two hits in game in the match-up.

The Lions will look to continue their hot streak to begin the season as they take on University of St. Francis beginning today at 2:00 PM.