April 18, 2023

by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. — In Tuesday's midweek battle with the Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) University Toppers, the (RV) Freed-Hardeman University Lions watched as a massive lead slowly shrink until it evaporated to a tie game in the eighth inning. Plating a run in the top of the ninth, FHU escaped with a 14-13 victory.

The Lions (28-17) were off and running when Christian Presley led off the day with a double - the first of 17 base hits for FHU. After Adam Smithson legged out an infield single to place runners on the corners, a delayed double steal sent Presley home to score the first run of the game. Zach Sanders lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Smithson for the second FHU run before back-to-back RBI hits from Camden Madding and Mason Libla ended the Freed-Hardeman first with a 4-0 lead.

Maddin tallied his second hit of the day with a single to center before a Blue Mountain Christian (23-21) error allowed Madding to score and give FHU a 5-0 advantage. BMCU answered back with a two-run homer in the third to narrow the game to a 5-2 differential.

Then came the big FHU fourth inning where, while batting around, the Lions tallied eight runs. Beginning with Will McCall smacking his season's 11th long ball, a sacrifice fly from Libla would score Sanders who previously reached by being hit by a pitch. On base after a single, Sean Rooney would tap home thanks to Anthony Jarvis's RBI hit. The Toppers collected the second out of the frame, but that meant little to Presley who connected for a two-run single. With Smithson following with a single to put two runners on base, the Lions batted around to the same result, this time with McCall (12) connecting for a three-run shot to give the Lions a 13-2 lead after four innings.

There was something in the Mississippi air, as the Toppers followed in the bottom of the fourth inning with three home runs of their own - including a two-run bomb to make it a 13-7 lead for the Lions.

Following a scoreless sixth inning, the BMCU power struck again in the seventh inning when a solo homer make it 13-8.

A wild eighth inning began with a throwing error being followed by a double to score the unearned run. A second base hit plated a run and make the score 13-10. With a runner on base, the Toppers connected for what appeared to be a two-run homer, only for the batter to be called out for excessive pine tar. The strange turn meant little to BMCU, who tallied two doubles, including a two-run double to place the tying run on third base. That tying run crossed in a strange way when a balk allowed the 13-13 score to cross uncontested.

Despite being held scoreless for four innings, the Lions needed just one run to jump back in front. That journey began with a one-out walk issued to McCall, with Sanders following with a single to left field to put McCall into scoring position. A strikeout nearly ended the threat, but Madding continued to have the hot bat - singling home McCall for the go-ahead run. The Lions would retire the Toppers in order in the bottom of the ninth to claim the 14-13 victory.

A bullpen day for both staves began with a 3 2/3 inning start from Cam Jennings and ended with a victory for Nolan Wells (2-0).

The bats were far from quiet with FHU's 17 hits joining BMCU's 16. Camden Madding led all Lions with a 4-5 day at the dish, while Will McCall went 3-4, including the two home runs where he drove in four. William Kelley, Christian Presley, and Adam Smithson each chipped in with two hits.

Up Next

The Lions travel back to Henderson to begin their final regular season home series by hosting the Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) College Blue Raiders on Friday, April 21, at 5:00 p.m. followed by a doubleheader at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 22.

FHU will close the book on the 2023 regular season on Wednesday, April 26, with a trip to Arkadelphia, Arkansas for a neutral site clash with the No. 2 LSU Shreveport Pilots at 1:00 p.m.