Rain washes away MSC title hopes
| Final (6) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Freed-Hardeman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
|
Cumberlands | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | X | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
May 7, 2023
by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Needing to win two games on Sunday to win the Mid-South Conference Tournament, the Kentucky spring weather had other ideas. After one delay of three hours, the (RV) Freed-Hardeman University Lions and the No. 7 University of the Cumberlands Patriots hit the field just long enough to play the required five innings before another bout of rain halted the game after the fifth inning with a 4-1 final.
The Lions (37-19) had a fast start by scoring the game's first run on Christian Presley's speed. Despite striking out swinging, the dropped third strike saw Presley heading down the line. Knowing Presley's quickness, the Patriot catcher hurried his throw and went wide, allowing Presley not only to reach but to advance to second. Adam Smithson smoked a single through the hole at short to put runners on the corners. An attempted double steal was only partly successful when Smithson was caught stealing, but Presley was able to score to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.
After an uneventful second and third inning, the Patriots (46-6) scored the equalizing run after a one-out walk was followed by an RBI double. Immediately after the top-seeded Patriots crossed the plate, the skies opened to halt the game at around 12:30 p.m.
Finally retaking the field at 4:00 p.m., the Lions got out of the inning with the game still tied 1-1. FHU was unable to score in the top of the fourth frame; however, a set of home runs for Cumberlands in the bottom of the fourth put the score at 4-1.
Neither team scored in the fifth inning, but the Lions were at bat in the top of the sixth inning when the rain returned and sent the championship into a second delay. By rule, any game called after five complete innings reverts to the score of the last completed inning, ending the No. 3 seed Lions' championship hopes with a 4-1 loss.
Montana Dickerson's start was cut short when Nolan Wells (2-1) took the hill after the first delay, being charged with the loss.
The Lions managed three hits off of the bats of Camden Madding, Christian Presley, and Adam Smithson.
Up Next
As the conference runners-up, the Lions return to Henderson with the comfort of an automatic berth into the opening round of the 2023 NAIA World Series. FHU will learn which of the 10 opening round sites they will travel to on Thursday, May 11 on the NAIA's YouTube page's selection show at 4:00 p.m.