Matt Barker, Sports Information Director
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Freed-Hardeman Lion baseball team could not complete the sweep of Harris-Stowe State University Friday afternoon, as a late rally by the Hornets sent the Lions home with an 8-6 loss in St. Louis, Mo.
Beau Caviness suffered the loss after working 2 and 2/3 innings and allowing two hits and three earned runs while striking out four batters. Jared Humphry got the start for FHU (36-14, 21-7 AMC) and worked six innings and allowed seven hits and four earned runs while striking out three.
Despite the loss, Josh Sears was solid at the plate, as he went 2-for-4 with a homerun while Aden Campbell went 2-for-5 with a double to keep the Lions in the game down the stretch.
The Lions jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the match-up, as they pushed one run across in the top of the second inning. Darcy Moore got the inning started for FHU with a single to left field and scored later in the inning following a fielder's choice groundout by Quinn Frost.
The Hornets; however, would not let the Lions run away with it as they pushed one run across in the bottom of the second inning. Ty Haston scored the lone run in the inning for HSSU (30-22, 14-15 AMC), as he reached on a fielder's choice and scored on an RBI single by Jared Corbett to even things up at one apiece.
However, the Lions carried the momentum from Thursday's sweep into Friday's single game, as they pulled ahead once again, courtesy of a two-run third inning. Wes Brooks crossed the plate first in the inning following an RBI single by Aden Campbell while Josh Sears rounded out the scoring after reaching on a walk and scoring on a wild throw by Hornet second baseman Cole Danielson.
The Hornets got one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning to close the gap to one run, as Kenny Lara crossed the plate after reaching on a walk and scoring on a fielder's choice by Tony Montano to make it 3-2.
However, the Lions would keep HSSU in check, as they pushed two more runs across in the top of the fifth inning to provide a slight cushion for the FHU pitching staff. Josh Sears and Aden Campbell both crossed the plate in the inning, as Sears scored on a sacrifice fly by De'Mikyle Holmes while Campbell stole home to give FHU a 5-2 lead.
Harris-Stowe edged two runs closer in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Kenny Lara opened the inning with a double to deep right field and scored in the next at bat following an RBI single by Leobardo Saldivar to pull the Hornets within two runs at the 5-3 mark. Saldivar also crossed the plate in the inning following an RBI double to deep left field by Jared Corbett to keep things tight at the 5-4 mark.
The Hornets kept their foot on the gas pedal in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Jared Corbett connected on a triple to deep center field and advanced home on a wild throw by Bryce Lester to even things up at five apiece.
The Lions responded late in the game with one run in the top of the ninth inning following a homerun by Josh Sears to put FHU up 6-5, but it would not be enough as Leobardo Saldivar connected on a three-run homerun of his own in the bottom half of the inning to give HSSU the 8-6 victory.
With the loss, the Lions snap their 11 game winning streak and move to 36-14 on the season and 21-7 in conference play. Harris-Stowe moves to 30-22 on the season and 14-15 in AMC play with the win.
