Middle innings spark Lady Lion sweep

April 25, 2023

by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director

HENDERSON, Tenn. — The No. 14 Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions scored all seven of their runs in game two of Tuesday's doubleheader against the (RV) Missouri Baptist University Spartans in the third and fourth innings. Those big frames provided the wave for the Lady Lions to claim a 7-2 win to sweep the Spartans.

An RBI groundout and a bases-loaded walk put the Lady Lions (23-9) behind 2-0 after being unable to score in the first two innings. But the FHU bats began to awaken when the top of the order began a run of five straight singles. Madelyn Crabb was able to score by way of Myleah Hardy's base knock, and Kennedy Harris-Bennett scoring the tying run on a wild pitch. With Sophie Dunavant continuing the hit parade, her single plated Karli Quillin to put the Lady Lions on top. Standing on third with one out, Gracie Wilson - pinch-running for Hardy - took advantage of an MBU error and scored FHU's fourth run of the inning to take a 4-2 lead.

The Lady Lions connected for 12 hits in the game, 10 of which were singles. That trend continued in the bottom of the fourth inning when M. Crabb led off by beating out a throw from the MBU (32-15-1) pitcher for an infield single. After Harris-Bennett tallied a base hit to move M. Crabb into scoring position, it was Hardy's RBI single that drove home FHU's fifth run. Two more runs would cross thanks to Dunavant's sacrifice fly and a dropped fly in left field sent the seventh and finals runners across to finalize the 7-2 win.

Catherine Crabb (1-0) provided a shakeup, picking up the win during her first time in the circle since - ironically - taking on Missouri Baptist in a no-decision on March 15, 2021. C. Crabb struck out one in four innings of work. Chloe Winters (1) earned a save by pitching three effective innings in relief where she struck out two. 

At the plate, Kennedy Harris-Bennet went 4-4 with a quartet of singles. Sophie Dunavant and Myleah Hardy chipped in with two hits apiece. The only extra-base hits came from doubles off of the bats of Catherine Crabb and Karli Quillin.

Up Next

One final series awaits the Lady Lions, as they will host the No. 23 Tigers of Campbellsville (Ky.) University. With conference tournament implications on the line, the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the Mid-South Conference standings will battle on Friday, April 28 at 5:00 p.m. before celebrating Senior Day and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 29 at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.