Matt Barker, Sports Information Director
JOPLIN, Mo. - [Bracket] The Freed-Hardeman Lion baseball team held off a late charge from Missouri Baptist University late Thursday evening, as they came away with a 5-4 victory over the Spartans in the American Midwest Conference Tournament in Joplin, Mo.
Jacob Sawyers (7-1) picked up the win for FHU, as he worked 6 and 2/3 innings and allowed just five hits and two earned runs while striking out 12 for his seventh win of the year. Beau Caviness secured his 16th save of the season for the Lions after working the final two innings and striking out two.
Griffin Siebert led the Lions at the plate in the victory, as he went 3-for-4 on the day with an RBI while Wes Brooks went 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI. The Lions out-hit the Spartans 10-4 in the match-up, as eight FHU players recorded hits in the victory.
The Lions (38-14) wasted no time getting their scoring drive started, as they pushed four runs across in the bottom of the first inning. Bryce Lester got the inning started for FHU with a single to center field and crossed the plate in the next at bat following an RBI triple by Wes Brooks.
Brooks also crossed the plate in the inning following a wild pitch by Missouri Baptist pitcher Austin Schiber to put FHU up 2-0. The Lions added two more runs in the inning, as Josh Sears crossed the plate following an RBI single by De'Mikyle Holmes while Aden Campbell scored off an RBI single by Griffin Siebert to make it 4-0.
The Lions added another run in the bottom of the second inning, as Joe Leatherwood opened the inning with a double down the right field line. Collin Baber, courtesy runner for Leatherwood, crossed the plate later in the inning after advancing to third on a stolen base and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Wes Brooks to put FHU up 5-0.
The Spartans (29-17) made a late charge and responded with two runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth inning, but it would not be enough, as the Lions held on for the 5-4 victory.
With the win, the Lions move to 38-14 on the season and advance to play Lyon College in a winner's bracket match-up. With the loss, Missouri Baptist University falls to 29-17 on the season.
UP NEXT: The Lions match-up with Lyon College is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 4th at 4:00 PM. For more information regarding schedule changes due to weather, be sure to follow FHU Athletics on all our social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, all @gofhulions
