HENDERSON — Having a surprise home game on a wet Tuesday, the No. 22 Freed-Hardeman University Lions had homers in the 10th and 11th innings to walk off against the Union (Tenn.) University Bulldogs in a 7-4 victory in 11 innings.
The Lions (27-10) took advantage of their speed when
Austin Johnson - courtesy runner for
JJ Pruneau who led off with a single - stole second.
Cam Madding would then send a single into left field to drive in the first run of the game for FHU.
Union (12-19) answered to tie the game in the top of the third inning after a wild pitch put a runner on third to set up an RBI groundout. The inning ended with momentum on FHU's side after a Bulldog was tagged out trying to turn a double into a triple to end the inning.
That momentum shift showed in the bottom half of the frame when
Jordan Carter and
Brady Spring went back-to-back with long balls to nearly identical spots over the right field fence to give FHU a 3-1 edge.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Bulldogs tallied a pair of solo shots in the top of the sixth inning to knot the game 3-3. The score would remain 3-3 until the top of the 10th inning when a bases-loaded walk put the Bulldogs on top 4-3.Â
Down to their final three outs, Carter did not waste time giving FHU life, sending the second pitch of his at-bat over the pole in left field to set the score at 4-4
With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning,
Dawson Massengale put a single into right field, advancing to second thanks to a Bulldog error. With the free base open, Union intentionally walked Carter to try their luck with Spring. After two pitches out of the zone Spring ended the game with a three-run home run over the wall in right-center to seal the walkoff 7-4 victory.
It was a platoon effort from FHU's bullpen with five relievers following
Matthew Riley's four-inning start.
Seth Creasy (3-0) earned the victory after retiring all three batters he faced in the top of the 10th.
Brady Spring was the Lions' top run-producer, with his two home runs driving in four runs. Spring was joined by
Jordan Carter,
Cam Madding, and
JJ Pruneau with two hits in the victory.
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Up Next
The Lions return to Mid-South Conference play with a trip to Lebanon where they will take on the (RV) Cumberland (Tenn.) University Phoenix for a three-game series on April 5-6.
