LEBANON, Tenn. — Returning ot Mid-South Conference play, the No. 22 Freed-Hardeman University Lions visited the Phoenix of Cumberland (Tenn.) University to start a three-game series. Plating six runs in the seventh frame, the Lions came out on top 12-7.

FHU (28-10, 8-2 MSC) got things rolling when Jordan Carter's leadoff walk. That was the first of Carter's six plate appearances and the first of his six times on base. After a pair of quick outs, JJ Pruneau rocketed a single to the left side to drive home Carter to put the Lions on top early. With runners on second and third in the top of the second, Carter returned to the plate where his double scored two runs to give the Lions a 3-0 edge.

FHU and Cumberland (18-18, 2-5 MSC) traded scoreless innings until the bottom of the fifth when the Phoenix took advantage of two Lion errors to spark a five-run inning where the hosts flipped the scoreboard to take a 5-3 lead. 

The Lions countered in the top of the sixth when Christian Presley's leadoff double set followed by a balk set up Cam Madding to shoot a sacrifice fly into center deep enough to score Presley. With Massegale and Carter both reaching base with hits, Brady Spring tallied a two-out single to score both runners to give the lead back to the Lions 6-5.

Cade Fuller led off the top of the seventh inning with a homer to left to open up a six-run frame. Massengale would drive home a pair of runs with a single before Carter recorded his third hit of the game with an RBI single. Adam Smithson would then drive in one run with a single before a second Lion stepped on home thanks to a CU error to give the Lions a 12-5 edge.

A pair of bases-loaded singled in the bottom of the seventh allowed two Cumberland runs to cross, but neither team scrachted any more runs across with the Lions picking up the 12-7 victory.

Colton Huntt (7-2) made history by becoming just the fourth Lion pitcher to amass 300 career strikeouts with a nine-punchout victory. He also now has 30 career victories to land in fourth place on FHU's career win leaderboard. Cam Jennings (1) picked up his season's first save, entering in the bottom of the seventh with the tying Cumberland run standing on deck.

Jordan Carter was a perfect 4-4 on the afternoon and drew two walks in his other two plate appearances to drive in three runs. Dawson Massengale was close behind with three hits and two RBI, while Cade Fuller and Christian Presley had two hits and Brady Spring driving in a pair of runs.
 

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FHU and Cumberland will hit the diamond on April 6 to wrap up the series with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.