HENDERSON — After splitting Saturday's doubleheader, the No. 25 Freed-Hardeman Lions and the (RV) Columbia (Mo.) College Cougars ended the four-game series in a stalemate after Columbia won Sunday's first game 17-5 before the Lions answered with a 5-4 victory.
Game 1
CC - 17
FHU - 5
After surrendering four runs in the top of the first inning, the Lions (18-5) answered in the bottom half of the frame after
Cade Fuller drew a bases-loaded walk. FHU picked up their second run in as many innings when
Brady Spring hit a sacrifice fly to drive home FHU's second run.
Columbia (15-9) put the game out of reach with a six-run third inning, but FHU tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on
Cam Madding's two run homer before Madding drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the fifth and final FHU run in the 17-5 defeat.
Houston High (4-2) was charged with the loss in 2 1/3 innings before
Joe Romines and
Riley Hamilton finished the game.
Ben Turner had the Lions' only multi-hit day, going 2-2 from the dish while
Cam Madding drove in a team-high three runs.
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Game 2
CC - 4
FHU - 5
In the final game of the series, FHU (19-5) opened the game by putting momentum in their dugout with a four-run first inning after
Kimmey Johnson led off with a walk before a perfectly executed hit-and-run put runners on the corners for
Adam Smithson to drive Johnson home. After
Cam Madding drew a walk it was
Cade Fuller's bat that connected for a three-run blast to give the Lions a 4-0 edge.
Fuller led off the bottom of the third being hit by a Columbia (15-10) pitch before swiping second.
JJ Pruneau's single up the middle drove Fuller home to score what proved to be the game-winning run. The Cougars plated four runs in the top of the sixth inning, but the Lions kept the lead intact for a 5-4 win.
Riley Keesey (1-0) earned the victory after pitching five innings where he punched out three batters.
Hunter Bennett picked up his first save as a Lion with one strikeout in 2/3 innings.
Cade Fuller went 2-2 and drove in three runs to lead FHU's offense.
JJ Pruneau and
Brady Spring both had two hits.
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Up Next
The Lions return to action against the No. 10 Missouri Baptist University Spartans on Tuesday, March 12.
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