Dunavant's double walks off Spartans

April 25, 2023

by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director

HENDERSON, Tenn. — Stepping out of Mid-South Conference play for the final time in 2023, the No. 14 Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions gritted out a win against the (RV) Missouri Baptist University Spartans. With the international tie-breaker in effect, FHU and MBU combined for six runs in the final two innings where the Lady Lions claimed victory 6-5 in nine innings.

For two consecutive innings, the Lady Lions (22-9) found themselves in danger by loading the bases. In both frames, starter Brittany Adair bared down to force a popout to strand three and end the first before inducing a lineout and a flyout to escape the second inning unscathed.

Loading up the bases for the third straight inning, Missouri Baptist (32-14-1) finally crossed the plate when an RBI groundout plated the first run of the game.

The Lady Lions would place runners on all three bags in the bottom of the third but were unable to score. After swapping scoreless fourth and fifth innings, FHU would knot up the game after Catherine Crabb tallied a one-out double to left-center, eventually scoring the tying run thanks to Anna Kate Norton's RBI single.

Moving to the top of the ninth inning with each team beginning their turn at the plate with a runner on second, both MBU and the FHU capitalized on the start in scoring position. A double to right-center gave the Spartans the lead before an errant throw allowed an insurance run to score and give MBU a 3-1 lead.

For the Lady Lions, after Myleah Hardy's single moved Karli Quillin from second to third, Quillin saw that the left fielder had trouble fielding the ball and took off for home to score FHU's second run. With Natalie Gilmore on the bases to run for Hardy, a steal followed by an errant throw by the Spartans provided a lane for Gilmore to round third and plate the tying run 3-3.

A pair of singles in the top of the ninth inning allowed Missouri Baptist to tack on two runs to take a 5-3 lead.

With Norton beginning on second, the senior moved to third after Madelyn Crabb singled to shortstop. After a walk loaded the bases, a lineout to short presented the Lady Lions to their final out. Fearlessly, Hardy drew the walk to make the score 5-4 before Sophie Dunavant hammered a double off of the way in left-center to score both M. Crabb and Harris-Bennett to walk off game one with a 6-5 win.

Neither team had trouble finding baserunners; however, scoring them was an issue with the Lady Lions stranding eight baserunners while the Spartans left 15 on base.

Katelyn Bradford (1-1) earned her first collegiate victory in relief, striking out two in seven innings.

FHU tallied nine hits, led by Sophie Dunavant and Myleah Hardy each collecting two hits.