Matt Barker, Sports Information Director

ALEXANDRIA, La. - The No. 18 Freed-Hardeman Lion baseball team split a double-header with No. 24 Louisiana State Universty-Alexandria to open their 2016 schedule Friday as they followed up a 4-2 loss in the opening game with a 10-inning 1-0 victory in the nightcap.

Game 1

LSU-Alexandria (1-1) struck first in the bottom of the 2nd as the Generals were able to capitalize on two Lion errors that resulted in an early run. General's first-baseman Nick Ber opened things up with a single down the third base line and would later advance to second on an errant throw by Griffin Siebert. Logan Constantine would offer a successful sacrifice bunt, which moved Ber to third where he would later score on a misplayed grounder by Zach Quillian at first base.

The Generals would add another run in the bottom of the 3rd to go up 2-0 as three would reach base including third baseman John Ross Johnson, who scored the only run in the inning after singling to left with two outs.

FHU (1-1) would forge a comeback in the fourth and sixth innings as seniors JC Daily and Pete Trollinger scored the only runs for the Lions to keep things close. Chase Young went 2-for-3, one of which was a single to shallow center that allowed Daily to put the Lions on the board in the top of the fourth.

Houston Looser (1-for-2) drove in the other run for the Lions in the sixth as he singled through the hole at 2nd base, which allowed Trollinger to score and even things up at two apiece entering the final frame.

However, LSU-Alexandria would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Tyler Mathis and Ross Durke scored for the Generals to provide them with all the cushion they needed to pick up the 4-2 win.

Brandon Guske (0-1) worked six innings in the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out nine in his first start of the season.

Game 2

The second game was a pitching duel from the start as Lion senior Jack Coleman and Adam Hines battled it out on the mound. Coleman fanned four batters and walked just three as he continued the momentum from his post-season run in 2015. Hines struck out nine and walked just three in five innings pitched.

The Lions mustered just five hits in the game compared to LSU-Alexandria, who had three hits, in a game that would take 10 innings to be decided.

The Generals thought they broke through for the win in the bottom of the ninth as Trey Caswell singled to left field, which seemingly brought Matt Telesco around to score; however, the umpires said Caswell missed the bag at first and called him out after Lion catcher Joe Leatherwood threw it to first base, suspecting Caswell didn't touch the bag. The umpires confirmed the call, which negated the run and forced extra innings.

FHU centerfielder JC Daily would take over from there in the tenth as he offered up a home run over the left field wall to give the Lions the 1-0 lead, which proved to be all they needed to pick up the win after the Generals failed to score in the bottom half of the inning.

LSUA had a chance to answer in the bottom of the tenth when pinch hitter Chandler O'Neal was hit by a pitch from Beau Caviness to open the inning. Pinch runner Ross Durke stole second and got to third on a line out, but was left there when John Ross Johnson struck out to end the game.

Jack Coleman (1-0) worked seven innings in the win, pitching a shutout on just three hits, while striking out four in his first start of the season. Beau Caviness offered three innings of relief and had three strikeouts while giving up just one hit in the victory.

Jacob Gomez (0-1) picked up the loss for the Generals as he gave up the game-winning home run in the tenth.

Daily went 2-for-3 in game, including the homerun in the top of the tenth, which proved to be the dagger. With the win, the Lions move to 1-1 on the season. The series concludes with a double-header Saturday. First pitch is set for 12:00 PM.

SATURDAY'S GAME COVERAGE

LIVE STATS / LIVE VIDEO (Game 1 Only)