Lady Lions split Monday doubleheader
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Freed-Hardeman | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 1 |
|
Shawnee State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Freed-Hardeman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
|
Shawnee State | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 6 | 6 | 3 |
April 17, 2023
by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director
WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Competing in their fourth and fifth games in three days, the No. 14 Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions split Monday's doubleheader against the Shawnee State (Ohio) University Bears. A fast start from the Bears vaulted them to a 6-3 win before the Lady Lions bounced back with an 11-2 win in six innings.
Game One
Freed-Hardeman - 3
Shawnee State - 6
The FHU (20-8, 13-5 MSC) hitters got on board in the first inning, but never advanced past first base. The Bears, on the other hand, led off the inning with a walk before a single and a passed ball set up a sacrifice fly to put the hosts on the board first. Catherine Crabb led off the top of the second inning with a double but had to stay put and watch three fast outs.
The Shawnee State (16-19, 4-11 MSC) second inning began innocently enough after a walk was followed by Sophie Dunavant firing a strike to catch the leadoff runner stealing. The Bears would pile on five runs in the frame thanks to four hits - including a two-run double and an FHU error to stun the Lady Lions with a 6-0 lead after two innings.
FHU got on the board in the top of the fifth inning after Brinley Cousar led off the frame with a single, advancing to third after a single from Karli Quillin and a flyout. An errant throw on a pickoff attempt by the Bear catcher would allow Cousar to score the first run for the Lady Lions. The bottom of the order would strike again in the top of the sixth inning after a one-out walk from Anna Kate Norton was followed by two consecutive errors from the Bears to allow Norton to cross. Quillin would tally an RBI with her groundout plating Madelyn Crabb, running for Alivia Eggleston who reached thanks to an SSU error. The late comeback fell short with FHU dropping game one 6-3.
All three Lady Lion pitchers tossed in the circle, with Brittany Adair (11-5) being charged with the loss after 4 1/3 cumulative innings where she struck out six.
FHU connected for four hits in game one, with Brinley Cousar, Catherine Crabb, Kennedy Harris-Bennett, and Karli Quillin each posting one hit.
Game Two
Freed-Hardeman - 11
Shawnee State - 2
Faring much better in game two, the Lady Lions (21-8, 14-5 MSC) put up multiple runs in the first three innings, beginning with Kennedy Harris-Bennett and Karli Quillin both crossing the plate as unearned runs by reaching thanks to errors before being driven home by Myleah Hardy and Sophie Dunavant, respectively.
The Shawnee State (16-20, 4-12 MSC) defense continued to suffer from miscues after Cassie Hayes led off the second inning with a walk and Anna Kate Norton tallying a single. Three consecutive passed balls allowed both runners to score and give the Lady Lions a 4-0 lead.
Another pair of runs crossed in the top of the third inning by more conventional means. Sophie Dunavant led off the inning with a double before her pinch runner, Natalie Gilmore, scored two batters later when Hayes smacked an RBI double and advanced to third on the play at the plate. Sacrificing her at-bat for a squeeze bunt, Norton drove in Hayes to put FHU on top 6-0.
Despite picking up a run in the home half of the third, the fielding woes continued for SSU when the Lady Lions added a run when a leadoff walk was followed by two errors and a passed ball.
In the top of the sixth inning, Dunavant led off with a single before a pair of lineouts to the hot corner looked to end the threat. Instead, Norton was able to reach after a dropped third strike led to an error from the Bear catcher to put two runners on base, setting up Madelyn Crabb to plant an RBI single to score Dunavant and move Norton to third. Then - in just her fourth collegiate at-bat - Molli Deere smacked her career's first home run over the fence in left field to end FHU's scoring in an 11-2 victory in six innings.
Chloe Winters (10-2) went the distance, striking out five and walking two.
FHU was led offensively by Kennedy Harris-Bennett's 3-5 day from the dish. Sophie Dunavant chipped in with a pair of hits, while five other Lady Lions collected lone hits, none bigger than Molli Deere's three-run homer.
Up Next
The late-season crucible of six games across four consecutive days wraps up tomorrow, April 18, when FHU lines up against Shawnee State for the final time at 12:00 p.m.