HENDERSON — Finishing their second weekend of action, the Freed-Hardeman University Lions split their final day against the Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College Wildcats to win the series three games to one. In the first game of the day, CSC avoided the sweep with a 12-5 victory before the Lions bounced back to win game two 7-4.
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Game 1
Culver-Stockton - 12
Freed-Hardeman - 5
It was a tough start for Freed-Hardeman (5-2), who fell behind six runs before picking up a bat. To their credit, the Lion batters kept fighting back with a two-run first inning. Though Culver-Stockton added runs in the third,
Brennen Gibson,
Hunter Ryan, and
Trace Anderson connected for three straight base hits to plate two runs.
Drake Blackwood had a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to make it a three-run contest.
Culver-Stockton (2-2) forged ahead in the top of the sixth with a four-run inning that was capped off by a three-run home run.
Trace Anderson led FHU's offense with two base hits and one RBI.
Ryan Sanchez (0-1) got the start, but
Colton Bryant came in to pitch four innings of relief where he punched out seven CSC batters.
Scoring Summary
Top 1
The guests were off and running with a seven-run frame including a two-run single and a two-run homer.
FHU 0, CSC 6
Bottom 1
After
Hunter Ryan walked and
Trace Anderson hit a single, FHU answered when an error in the outfield allowed both runners to score.
FHU 2, CSC 6
Top 3
The Wildcats bats were still hot in the third inning with another two-run blast.
FHU 2, CSC 8
Bottom 3
The top of the order struck again for the Lions when
Brennen Gibson led off with a single, followed by a Ryan double to drive in Gibson. In the next at-bat, Anderson drove Ryan home with a single.
FHU 4, CSC 8
Bottom 4
Freed-Hardeman kept chipping away at the deficit when
Drake Blackwood launched a solo homer.
FHU 5, CSC 8
Top 6
CSC utilized another big inning to push away from FHU when a three-run homer highlighted a four-run frame.
FHU 5, CSC 12
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Game 2
Culver-Stockton - 4
Freed-Hardeman - 7
Freed-Hardeman (6-2) bounced back in the series finale. After falling behind 3-1 in the third inning,
Alejandro Diaz and
JJ Pruneau tag-teamed back-to-back doubles to drive in one run each.
Bo Mitchell's sacrifice fly gave FHU a lead.
In the top of the fourth, the Wildcats (2-3) knotted the game with an RBI groundout, but another sacrifice fly from FHU gave the Lions the lead before
Brennen Gibson gave the Lions some breathing room with a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh.
Alejandro Diaz,
Brennen Gibson,
Brooks Jones, and
JJ Pruneau each had two hits in the win.
Grayson Waller (1-1) got the victory in relief of
Hunter Gressel. Waller struck out six batters in five innings before Juston Smarr (1) earned the save in the top of the ninth by striking out two batters.
Scoring Summary
Bottom 1
Hunter Ryan put his speed on display by drawing a walk before stealing both second and third before scoring on a wild pitch.
FHU 1, CSC 0
Top 3
The Wildcats answered with an RBI double and a two-run homer.
FHU 1, CSC 3
Bottom 3
Ryan led off with a single before swiping another base.
Alejandro Diaz drove Ryan home with a double before scoring himself thanks to
JJ Pruneau's double. Pruneau's courtesy runner,
Michael Glick, later scored on
Bo Mitchell's sac fly.
FHU 4, CSC 3
Top 4
Drawing two walks to start the inning, CSC scored a run on a groundout.
FHU 4, CSC 4
Bottom 5
Mitchell had another sacrifice fly, this time scoring
Brooks Jones.
Hunter McLemore would cross later in the inning thanks to a Wildcat error.
FHU 6, CSC 4
Bottom 7
Brennen Gibson put the game away with a solo home run.
FHU 7, CSC 4
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