Lions fall in slugfest

April 1, 2023

by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director

HENDERSON, Tenn. — The Freed-Hardeman University Lions and the No. 25 Cumberland (Tenn.) University Phoenix combined for nine home runs in the series opener Saturday afternoon. The Lions answered each big inning from the Phoenix but ultimately dropped game one 11-7.

After a single was followed by back-to-back jacks, FHU (19-14, 8-8 MSC) found themselves trailing 3-0 before picking up a bat. Zach Sanders drew a walk in his first trip to the plate, moving to third thanks to Will McCall's double to right field. Sean Rooney would ground out, but drive in Sanders before Camden Madding's single drove home McCall to set the score at 3-2.

The CU Phoenix (22-6-1, 12-0 MSC) flexed their muscles again to lead off the third inning by hitting a homer to left field to hold a 4-2 advantage. Christian Presley decided to show that FHU's bats had pop as well by shooting his season's first home run over the left field wall to draw the Lions within one run at 4-3.

After the Phoenix put up three runs in the top of the fifth, Presley made up for lost power by collecting his second home run of the day before Sanders kept the momentum going with a single up the middle. McCall (8) sent a no-doubter over the wall in left field to plate himself and Sanders to set the score at 7-6 in favor of the guests.

Cumberland would add three more runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a wild pitch, sacrifice fly, and their fifth home run of the game to jump ahead 11-6. Rooney led off the Lion seventh inning with his year's third homer, but no other FHU batter could get going in the seventh to end the series opener with an 11-7 final.

Alex Huey (5-3) was charged with the loss, pitching five complete innings where he struck out seven batters whil allowing five earned runs.

Sean Rooney was 3-4 from the dish while driving in a pair. Mason Libla, Will McCall, and Christian Presley chipped in with two base knocks each.