Seniors sent off with regular-season finale victory

April 29, 2023

by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director

HENDERSON, Tenn. — Putting the day's first game's defeat out of their minds, the No. 14 Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions bounced back to top the No. 23 Campbellsville (Ky.) University Tigers 6-3 after celebrating seniors Catherine Crabb, Anna Kate Norton, and Brittany Adair, in addition to field manager Hayden Jarrell.

A pair of errors by the Lady Lions (24-11, 15-8 MSC) proved costly in the top of the first inning when an errant throw allowed for two unearned runs to cross to put FHU in a hole 2-0 before picking up a bat.

A set of doubles in the bottom of the second inning helped to cut into the CU Tiger (28-14-1, 16-8 MSC) lead. Crabb tallied a one-out two-bagger before scoring the first Lady Lion run thanks to Brooklyn Jimmerson's double. 

Already the program's leading run producer, Sophie Dunavant added two more to her total in the bottom of the third inning after Kennedy Harris-Bennett and Karli Quillin were driven in by Dunavant's single up the middle. Dunavant was not finished, chugging her way around the bases to score from first on Crabb's second double of the game to put FHU on top 4-2.

After seeing their lead in game one evaporate, the Lady Lions knew insurance runs would be invaluable, so Harris-Bennett led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk, eventually finding herself on third after Quillin's single and a sacrifice bunt. Dunavant would drive in her third run of the game by sending Harris-Bennett home with a groundout.

FHU would see a leadoff walk score in the bottom of the sixth inning after Jimmerson's free pass paid off with the sophomore scoring thanks to Quillin's two-out single. The Tigers would add a run in the top of the seventh, but the Lady Lions shut the door to end the regular season with a 6-3 win.

Chloe Winters (11-3) tossed the complete game, giving up just two hits while striking out four.

Karli Quillin had the hot bat, tallying three base hits, while Catherine Crabb had two doubles. Sophie Dunavant was the top run-producer, driving in three.

Up Next

A new season begins in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where the Lady Lions - drawing the No. 3 seed - await their turn in the Mid-South Conference Tournament. FHU will next hit the field on Thursday, May 5, at 1:30 p.m. against the winner of Thomas More (Ky.) University and Shawnee State (Ohio) University. The TMU Saints are the No. 6 seed, while the SSU Bears hold the No. 9 seed.