Matt Barker, Sports Information Director

LEBANON, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lady Lion softball team combined for 25 hits and 18 runs Monday to pick up two convincing wins at Cumberland as they took down the Phoenix with a 9-3 victory in the opening game followed by a 9-2 win in the nightcap.

Game 1- FHU- 9, Cumberland- 3

The Lady Lions (3-3) used an explosive third inning to break the game open as five players would cross the plate to put FHU up 5-2 midway through the game.

Rachael Dodd would get things started for the Lady Lions with a walk in the second at-bat of the inning and would later score as Jessica Weeks and Caitlyn Carter would both single to put FHU on the board. Jessica Weeks, Allie Carpenter and Savannah Decker would also score in the inning as the Lady Lions continued to connect at the plate.

FHU would add four more runs in the top half of the seventh as Carter would continue to give Cumberland (1-9) fits as she opened the inning with a triple. Carter would later score on a single to center field by Allie Carpenter. Makenzie Prince would also cross the plate in the inning as Kaylan Graham would knock her in with a RBI single up the middle.

MattiAnne Sparks would also score on a passed ball for the third run in the inning after pinch running for Carpenter. Katie Sholl would complete the scoring drive for the Lady Lions after scoring off an RBI single to right field from Jordan Burton to put the Lady Lions up 9-3.

Six runs would be all the cushion the Lady Lions would need as they kept the Phoenix quiet to close the opening game with a 9-3 victory.

Makenzie Prince played solid the entire game and picked up her first win of the year after striking out three and walking just one in seven innings of work in the circle.

Caitlyn Carter led the Lady Lions at the plate as she went 3-for-4 in the game and scored two of FHU's nine runs. Allie Carpenter followed Carter's lead and went 3-for-4 with two RBI's.

Game 2- FHU- 9, Cumberland- 2

After shutting down Cumberland in the circle for the opening game, Makenzie Prince set her sights at the plate as she pounded out three doubles, two RBI's and scored two runs to propel the Lady Lions to a 9-2 victory in the nightcap.

Similar to the opening game, the Lions would put together one inning of solid hitting to break the game open. For the nightcap, it was the second inning as the Lions exploded with six runs to build a large cushion over the Phoenix.

Savannah Decker would score the first run in the inning as Prince would connect for her first double of the day to drive her in. Savannah Decker, Prince, Jessica Weeks, Jenna Graham, Caitlyn Carter, and Katie Sholl would all cross the plate later in the inning to extend the Lady Lion lead.

The Lady Lions would add two more runs in the fifth inning as Makenzie Prince would connect on her second double of the day to get things started for FHU. Prince would score later in the inning, along with Jessica Weeks, to put the Lady Lions up 8-1 entering the bottom half of the inning.

The Lions would add one more run in the seventh as Sholl would score on a double by Prince, which marked Prince's third double of the day. The deficit would be too much for Cumberland as the Lady Lions cruised to a 9-2 victory in the nightcap.

Mallory Spurlock picked up the win as she struck out five and allowed just two runs in seven innings of work.

Makenzie Prince led the Lady Lions at the plate as she went 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI's in the game. Katie Sholl also went 3-for-4 in the game to score two runs in the victory.

UP NEXT: The Lady Lions will be on the road this weekend as they travel to Gulf Shores, Ala. to participate in the Gulf Shores Invitational March 4-5.