HENDERSON — The Freed-Hardeman University Lions and the visiting Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson College combined for 30 runs in Thursday's series opener. FHU was led by
Dalton Bonner's six-RBI day in the 20-10 victory in eight innings.
The Lions (19-14, 1-3 MSC) were stunned by a five-run first inning by the guests.
Cade Fuller answered the bell for the Lions in the home half of the first by sending an 0-1 offering over the center-field fence. The big hit for FHU did not come until the third inning when
Dalton Bonner send the first pitch he saw out of the yard for a game-tying grand slam.
The Blue Raiders (4-22, 1-3 MSC) plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to regain a lead, but the Lions came storming through the middle innings by scoring 11 runs in two innings including a seven-run fourth. The game ended by run rule in the bottom of the eighth when an error allowed
Jordan Carter to cross as the winning run.
Freed-Hardeman combined for 17 hits with three coming from
Dalton Bonner,
Cade Fuller,
Brooks Jones, and
JJ Pruneau. Bonner's six RBI led the team to victory.
In relief of
Matthew Riley,
Hunter McLemore (3-1) earned the victory after hurling 2 1/3 innings where he struck out six Blue Raiders.
SCORING SUMMARY
Top 1
The Blue Raiders came out strong with a solo homer, an RBI double and a three-run blasts putting the guests up 5-0 before the Lions picked up a bat.
FHU 0, LWC 5
Bottom 1
The comeback began with a solo homer from
Cade Fuller.
FHU 1, LWC 5
Bottom 3
After a set of singles and a walk,
Dalton Bonner cleared the bases with a two-out grand slam to tie the game.
FHU 5, LWC 5
Top 4
Lindsey Wilson regained the lead after an error and an RBI single.
FHU 5, LWC 7
Bottom 4
The middle innings belonged to the Lions with
Brooks Jones' two-run blast opening a seven-run fourth. Fuller tallied an RBI single before
JJ Pruneau tripled home a run.
Dawson Massengale joined with a sacrifice fly to score
Jordan Carter before Bonner launched another homer: this time a two-run shot.
FHU 12, LWC 7
Bottom 5
The Lions kept pouring it on with Pruneau's single scoring Jones before Massengale lifted another sacrifice fly, this time scoring
Trace Anderson. An errant pickoff allowed Fuller to score before a double steal helped
Austin Johnson tap home.
FHU 16, LWC 7
Top 6
The Blue Raiders began to climb back in with an RBI double.
FHU 16, LWC 8
Top 8
Two more LWC runs crosse with a set of bases-loaded walks.
FHU 16, LWC 10
Bottom 8
Hunter Ryan's two-run double plated Jones and
Chase Eakes before Carter's two-bagger plated
Cannon Daversa. The run-rule 10th run crossed when a dropped fly in left field allowed Carter to score the game-ending run.
FHU 20, LWC 10