May 6, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Plating one run in three different innings, the (3) Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions took victory in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-South Conference Softball Championship with a 3-1 win over the University of Tennessee-Southern Firehawks.

Freed-Hardeman (46-3, 29-3 MSC) opened the scoring in the first inning when Catherine Crabb laced a one-out double into centerfield. Caitlin Mitchell would then drive Crabb home with a single into left.

UT-Southern's (26-24, 14-18 MSC) defense clamped down to hold the Lady Lions scoreless over the next two innings before Cassie Hayes led off the bottom of the fourth inning by being hit by a pitch. After Annalise Jarnagin moved Hayes up 60 feet with a sacrifice bunt, Anna Kate Norton's hit went straight back to the Firehawk pitcher, who attempted to throw Hayes out at third. Instead, her throw went sailing into left to allow Hayes to touch home plate unearned while Norton advanced to second.

After a UT-Southern pitching change in the home half of the fifth inning, Kennedy Harris essentially hit a leadoff triple. What began as a single through the left side was followed by Harris swiping second base. A wild pitch from the Firehawk reliever moved Harris to third, easily setting up Sophie Dunavant to hit a sacrifice fly deep enough to center to drive in the third FHU run.

Brittany Adair (16-0) was her usual dominant self in the circle, punching out 10 Firehawks while allowing one hit - a fastball that caught too much plate and was sent over the left-field fence.

"I thought Brittany battled today with the probably not her best stuff on her on the mound," said head coach Todd Humphry of his starter. "Pretty tight zone that she had to work with her spin, but she got it done with the help of Sophie Dunavant."

The Lady Lion offense shared the love with four players tallying one hit each. Crabb's double was joined by Harris and Jarnagin's singles with Mitchell's RBI single rounding off the FHU hitting.

"We did hit the ball fairly well throughout the lineup one through nine," said Coach Humphry. "I thought we ran the bases extremely well and play good defense behind Brittany so if you do all three of those things you're going to win."

Up Next:

Freed-Hardeman was able to escape the spring rain, playing the only game today. The rest of the quarterfinal round was rained out for the day and will be played tomorrow, May 7, where Freed-Hardeman will watch the Campbellsville (Ky.) University and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) College game closely. The Lady Lions will then gear up to play the winner in a semifinal to begin at 4:00 p.m.