HENDERSON — With Abraham Lincoln as emcee, Uncle Sam in a footrace, and George Washington in attendance, the (RV) Freed-Hardeman University Lions hosted one of the largest crowds in Five Wells Field History for the Celebration of America. The on-field action matched the atmosphere, with the Lions defeating the Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) University Toppers 7-6.
Freed-Hardeman (29-11) plated single runs in seven of the eight innings they batted. The Lions used nearly every method possible to drive in runs: a sacrifice squeeze, a wild pitch, a passed ball, a home run, and a sacrifice fly were some of the methods the Lions used to plate their seven runs.
The Toppers (19-23) took a different route, scoring all six of their runs in the middle of the game with one run in the fourth, three in the fifth, and two in the sixth. BMCU connected for eight hits, six of which went for extra bases.
Brennen Gibson would drive in the tying run in the sixth inning with a bases-loaded walk before his sacrifice fly in the eighth gave FHU the goahead run to secure the 7-6 win.
FHU had seven base hits, all from different Lions.
Brennen Gibson went 1-for-2 with two walks and three RBI.Â
Ryan Sanchez had the start for FHU, tossing three innings where he struck out six and allowing one hit. The win went to
Joe Romines (3-1) after two innings of late relief where she struck out three Toppers without surrendering a run.
Justin Smarr (4) came on to close the door and earn the save after striking out two batters and coaxing a lineout.
Scoring Summary
Bottom 1
Trace Anderson led off the FHU first with a double, later scoring thanks to
JJ Pruneau's sacrifice squeeze bunt.
FHU 1, BMCU 0
Bottom 2
Alejandro Diaz blasted a solo homer to left-center.
FHU 2, BMCU 0
Bottom 3
Brennen Gibson's speed directly contributed to a run, after he reached base via a walk before stealing second. He would later swipe third, and as the catcher was looking for the ball, he was able to take off and score on a wild pitch.
FHU 3, BMCU 0
Top 4
A leadoff walk and a two-out double put the Toppers on the board.
FHU 3, BMCU 1
Bottom 4
Diaz drew a leadoff walk before rounding the bases on a wild pitch and a stolen base before scoring on a passed ball.
FHU 4, BMCU 1
Top 5
Blue Mountain Christian knotted the game when a double and a walk put two runners on to set up a three-run homer.
FHU 4, BMCU 4
Bottom 5
Gibson struck again with the long ball, sneaking a ball inside the pole in left field to lead off the inning.
FHU 5, BMCU 4
Top 6
A two-run homer gave the Toppers their first lead of the game.
FHU 5, BMCU 6
Bottom 6
The Lion patience paid off with three walks in the inning, including Gibson's bases-loaded walk driving in the tying run.
FHU 6, BMCU 6
Bottom 8
FHU drew three walks to load the bases with nobody out, setting up Gibson to drive in another run: this time by way of a sacrifice fly to plate what proved to be the winning run.
FHU 7, BMCU 6
Â
Up Next
The Lions will turn around and visit BMCU in Mississippi on April 15 at 2:00 p.m. FHU then visits the No. 8 Cumberlands Patriots for a three-game series on April 17-18 before concluding the 2026 regular season with a three-game set against the Cumberland Phoenix on April 24-25.
