Matt Barker, Sports Information Director
CORINTH, Miss. - The Freed-Hardeman Lion baseball team battled the entire day Sunday and came away victorious, as they picked up a sweep of conference foe Columbia College with a 4-3 victory in the opening game followed by an 11-8 win in the nightcap.
Sunday's match-up was played at the Corinth High School baseball field in Corinth, Miss. due to unplayable field conditions at Freed-Hardeman. However, despite the neutral location, the Lions made themselves at home, as they brought home two victories over an opponent who swept FHU last season.
Despite trailing by three runs after the third inning in the opening game, the Lions found their bats to begin the fourth inning and scored four runs of their own to take a 4-3 lead, which would be just enough to secure the win.
Freshman Austin Steel picked up the win for the Lions (9-4), as he worked six innings and allowed just nine hits while striking out six. Beau Caviness secured the save for FHU after allowing no hits in the seventh inning.
The Lions pounded out five hits in the game, four of which came in the fourth inning, where FHU did a majority their damage. Wes Brooks got the inning started with a single to center field to give the Lions their first hit in the game. Josh Sears also reached base in the inning following a wild throw from Columbia catcher Reed Sprinkle on a dropped third strike.
A double by Kaimana Ancog would bring Brooks in to score and advance Sears to third base, where he would score from following a wild pitch by Cougar pitcher Dakota Stone to close the gap to one run at the 3-2 mark.
De'Mikyle Holmes would give the Lions two more runs in the fourth inning following an RBI double to deep center field to score Ancog and Quinn Frost and give FHU the 4-3 lead, which proved to be all they needed to secure the win.
Despite a low scoring affair in the opening game, both teams more than made up for it in the nightcap, as FHU and Columbia combined for 19 runs before things were decided.
Connor Creasy picked up the win for the Lions in the nightcap after working four innings and allowing just six hits while striking out one. Landon Sewell got the start for FHU and worked four innings, allowing just eight hits while striking out five. Beau Caviness once again secured the save for FHU, as he shut the Cougars down in the ninth inning and allowed no hits while striking out one batter. The save for Caviness marked his third save on the week.
Josh Sears led the Lions at the plate in the nightcap, as he went 3-for-4 in the game with a home run to aid FHU in the comeback win. Griffin Siebert also had a solid day at the plate, as he went 3-for-5 in the game with four RBI while Kaimana Ancog went 2-for-4 with a double.
With the Sunday sweep, the Lions move to 9-4 on the season. Columbia College falls to 8-4 on the season with the two-game slide.
UP NEXT: The Lions are back in action Monday, as they conclude their three-game series with Columbia College. Game time is set for 12:00 PM at the Corinth High School baseball field in Corinth, Miss.
