CHICKASA, Okla. — The third-seeded Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions extended their season by one game in the elimination bracket of the 2025 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Rounds by walking off the No. 4 seed Stillman (Ala.) College Tigers before the season ended in a 8-0 loss in five innings to top-seeded University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Drovers.
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Game 1
Stillman - 6
Freed-Hardeman - 7
The first time through the order for the Lady Lions (21-16) was unsuccessful while the Tigers managed to plate four runs. It was not until the third inning when FHU began to make consistent contact with the Lady Lions tallying six straight singles to tie the game 4-4.
Stillman (33-13) managed to put up two more runs, but the Lady Lions battled to score one run in the bottom of the sixth inning before scoring the last two runs in the home half of the seventh to walk off with a victory.
Chloe Carter and
Myleah Hardy each went 3-4 from the plate in the elimination game while
Brinley Cousar,
Grayson Mayo, and
Briley Wigginton each connecting for two hits.
Brooklyn Jimmerson drove home a team-high two RBI.
Kylee Brown (14-11) secured the complete-game victory where she struck out three Tigers.
Scoring Summary
Top 2
Three consecutive singles helped the Tigers score two runs in the second.
FHU 0, Stillman 2
Top 3
A bases-loaded hit batsman and a sacrifice fly doubled Stillman's lead.
FHU 0, Stillman 4
Bottom 3
A parade of six straight singles knotted the game for the Lady Lions.
Brooklyn Jimmerson's single with
Brinley Cousar on second drove in FHU's first run of the tournament.
Lana Rowland drove home
Myleah Hardy before Jimmerson scored thanks to
Briley Wigginton's single. An error helped Rowland score to tie the game at four.
FHU 4, Stillman 4
Top 4
The Tigers bounced right back with a leadoff single, a steal, and a double drove in the goahead run.
FHU 4, Stillman 5
Top 6
A set of walks set up a double to drive in one run, but an excellent throw from
Christa Warren mowed down a second run attempting to cross.
FHU 4, Stillman 6
Bottom 6
FHU made it a one-run contest with singles from
Chloe Carter and
Myleah Hardy to load the bases with one out. Jimmerson drove home Carter to keep the Lady Lions' hopes alive.
FHU 5, Stillman 6
Bottom 7
Two errors helped
Grayson Mayo reach second base before a single from
Gracie Wilson put the tying run 60 feet away. Warren blasted a double to right to drive home the tying run and put the winning run on third. A wild pitch gave enough room for Wilson to score and extend the season by a game.
FHU 7, Stillman 6
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Game 2 (5 innings)
Freed-Hardeman - 0
Science and Arts - 8
While the Lady Lions (21-17) received votes in the final NAIA top-25 poll, the USAO Drovers were the No. 1 team in the country.
Brinley Cousar connected for the lone FHU hit in the top of the first.
The Drovers (49-8) plated runs in each inning except the second including a three-run third with back-to-back homers.
The Lady Lions showed patience at the plate with four drawing walks to go with
Chloe Carter's first-inning single.
Katy Gartrell (4-3) and
Anna Rogers shared the load of pitching where they combined for two strikeouts.
Scoring Summary
Bottom 1
A wild pitch and an RBI single put the Drovers on the board early.
FHU 0, USAO 1
Bottom 3
Back-to-back homers from the hosts including a two-run blast made it a five-run game.
FHU 0, USAO 5
Bottom 4
An RBI double and a sacrifice fly drove home two more runs.
FHU 0, USAO 7
Bottom 5
A single put the winning run on the bases, eventually scoring on a wild pitch to end the game.
FHU 0, USAO 8
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