Lions take advantage of errors, advance to regional final
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Freed-Hardeman | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 0 |
|
Concordia (NE) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 4 |
May 17, 2023
by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — With their backs to the wall, the No. 2 seed Freed-Hardeman University Lions made the No. 3 seed Concordia (Neb.) University Bulldogs pay for four errors, scoring seven unearned runs in an 11-8 victory to advance to the regional final.
The FHU Lions (39-20) got things started with Christian Presley leading off with an infield single. After stealing second, an errant throw allowed Presley to reach third, where Will McCall's groundout drove him home. FHU would add a second run in the top of the second after Camden Madding's single turned into a triple after a failed pickoff move saw the attempt from the pitcher go into the outfield. Mason Libla would drive in Madding to give the Lions a 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs (40-18) jumped ahead with a run in the second being followed by a pair of runs in the third. Zach Sanders would help the Lions bounce back with a leadoff single. A base hit from Sean Rooney was followed by an RBI single from Baron Ratliff to score Sanders and set a 3-3 score.
After the Bulldogs added another set of runs in the fourth, a double steal was only partly successful, with Presley able to score despite the trailing runner being caught stealing to see FHU trail 5-4.
Presley continued to have the hot bat, leading off the seventh inning with a double, eventually scoring the tying run thanks to McCall's RBI single.
After a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning put the Bulldogs on top, the Lions would need to score three runs to keep their season alive. Instead, FHU would plate twice that thanks first to the patience of the FHU batters seeing four consecutive batters walked. After a strikeout had the Lions down to their final out while trailing 8-6, an errant throw saw both Dawson Massengale and Madding score to knot the game. To put a cherry on top of his phenomenal outing, Presley shot a three-run blast into the Georgia sky to complete the 11-8 victory.
Starter Colton Bryant and - in a rare relief outing - Alex Huey set up Luis Torres-Lopez (6-4) to get the victory.
Christian Presley was 4-5 on the day, driving in three runs. Will McCall and Baron Ratliff teamed up with two base hits each.