HENDERSON — Competing in the first day of the 2025 Midwest Clash the Freed-Hardeman University Lions fell 9-5 in the first game against the Indiana University Kokomo Cougars before wrapping up the night with a 4-3 win over the University of Northwestern Ohio.
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Game 1
IUK - 9
FHU - 5
Freed-Hardeman (9-6) had a good start when
Cam Madding lifted a two-out double into the right field before
Jordan Carter drew a walk. A double-steal set up a wild pitch to drive Madding home to score the first run of the game.Â
The Cougars (3-9) answered quickly in the top of the second A couple of singles and a walk loaded the bases for a two-run single to put IUK on top 2-1. The Lions flipped the script in the bottom of the second when
Trace Anderson hit a triple to score
Dawson Massengale.
Cade Fuller followed with an RBI single up the middle to put the Lions back on top 3-2.
A sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth tied the game before the Cougars stormed ahead in the sixth inning with a five-run output.
Gage Burt had a high spot with a pinch-hit home run to narrow the gap to 8-5, but a sac fly in the seventh finished the scoring in the 9-5 defeat.
Trace Anderson and
Dawson Massengale each tallied a pair of hits in the loss.
Cooper Johnson had the start for the Lions where he struck out two in as many innings.
Justin Smarr (0-1) was the pitcher of record, taking the loss as the third of four relievers.
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Game 2
UNOH - 3
FHU - 4
The Lions (10-6) ended the day on a bright not despite the University of Northwestern Ohio leadoff hitter sending the first pitch of the game over the wall in right.
Trace Anderson got the Lions on the bases with a leadoff single.
Cade Fuller then went to the opposite field for a mammoth two-run blast to put FHU on top 2-1.
For the next four innings, neither the Lions nor the Racers (3-7-1) made any headway on the scoreboard until a wild sixth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, the Lions hoped to have gotten a double play, but only the front half was successful. After that, a single to right field scored one run before the second was thrown out to end the inning with UNOH leading 3-2.
Undaunted,
Cade Fuller had a one-out single up the middle before a throwing error allowed Fuller to not only stay alive on the bases, but to move to third.
Jordan Carter legged out an infield single to drive in the tying run before scoring the goahead run thanks to
Hunter Ryan's RBI single. Though the Racers put the tying run on second, the Lions shut down the Racers to claim the 4-3 victory.
Of the five FHU hits, Cade fuller had two while also driving in a team-high two RBI.
Matthew Riley got the start where he struck out six batters while surrendering one run.
Hunter McLemore (2-1) earned the victory after striking out four batters in two innings.
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Up Next
The Lions will wrap up the Midwest Clash with a doubleheader against Indiana University South Bend on February 24 at 12:00 p.m.
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