FHU sees season conclude with 10-inning nailbiter

May 18, 2023

by Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director

HENDERSON, Tenn. — Trailing the entire contest, the No. 3 seed Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions battled back with a three-run seventh inning to force extra innings. Ultimately, a single and a walk in the top of the 10th inning saw the top-seeded Central Methodist (Mo.) University Eagles hoist the Opening Round Champions trophy with a 6-4 final score.

After a pair of singles began the outing for the Eagles (41-10), one deep flyout advanced the runners to allow a sacrifice fly to drive in the game's first run. In the FHU half of the first inning, Kennedy Harris-Bennett led off with a single before swiping second. A pair of shallow flyouts and a strikeout left the senior stranded in scoring position.

The FHU Lady Lions (27-15) leaned on the bat of the career home run queen one last time, as Harris-Bennett launched her career's 32nd long ball to knot the championship game 1-1. But the Eagles were hot on the trail with a wild pitch following a leadoff double placing the go-ahead run on third base with nobody out. An RBI single two batters late put CMU on top 2-1 before a two-run blast appeared to put the Eagles on top for good with a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning.

Madelyn Crabb began the frame with a double to left field, followed by a two-base knock from Harris-Bennett to bring the tying run to the plate. Karli Quillin would smoke a single into left field to score two before moving into scoring position herself on the throw. A wild pitch moved the tying run to third base still with nobody out. Sophie Dunavant drew a walk, with her pinch runner, Natalie Gilmore, promptly stealing second. Myleah Hardy lifted a ball to right field, but just deep enough to score Quillin and knot up the game 4-4. A head's-up defensive play by the Eagles mowed Gilmore down at the plate, trying to score the winning run on Catherine Crabb's grounder. When the dust settled, the Lady Lions forced extra innings with a 4-4 score.

The best chance for FHU came in the bottom of the ninth inning when Dunavant and Hardy collected consecutive two-out singles, then saw the winning run advance to third on a wild pitch, but a flyout ended the FHU threat.

In the top of the 10th inning, the Eagles loaded up the bases with two hit-by-pitches sandwiching a walk. FHU had hoped to avoid disaster with a 1-2-3 double play, but a two-out single and a bases-loaded walk gave CMU the 6-4 lead they would maintain to win the regional title.

Chloe Winters started and ended the game for the Lady Lions, but Brittany Adair (12-9) did the majority of the work, tossing eight innings.

Offensively, Kennedy Harris-Bennett had her swansong, going 4-5 from the dish including a home run. Myleah Hardy tallied three base knocks, while Karli Quillin chipped in with two.