Union Advances Past Freed-Hardeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The #5 seed Union University Bulldogs outlasted the #4 seed Freed-Hardeman University Lions 8-7 on Wednesday night at Shelby Park.

The Bullodogs scored their eight runs on 10 hits without committing an error. The plated a pair in the first inning, thanks to back-to-back two-out doubles to take the early lead. The Lions cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth, but Union's Patrick Williams answered for the Bulldogs in the top of the fifth with the first of two two-run home runs. Union extended the lead to 5-1 with a run in the top of the sixth, but Freed-Hardeman would not go quietly. The Lions scored three runs in the sixth to cut the lead to a single run at 5-4. Williams hit his second home run in the top half of the seventh to stretch the lead to 7-4, but the Lions answered again in the bottom of the inning with another three-spot, tying the game at 7-7. Union, however, was able to push across what proved to be the game winning run in the top of the eighth, as the Bulldogs took the game 8-7.

Daniel Adams leveled his overall record for the Bulldogs at 4-4, picking up the win one day after notching his fourth save of the year. The loss was charged to Kirk Shoemate (3-4) who came on in relief in the eighth inning. With the win, the Bulldogs move on to face top-seeded Trevecca Nazarene University in Thursday's first game at 11:00 a.m., while the loss pits Freed-Hardeman against the second seed Cumberland University in an Elimination game on Thursday at 2:30. Both of those games are scheduled for Jackson Field at Trevecca, and the loser of the first game (TNU vs. UU) will play the winner of the second game (CU vs. FHU) on Thursday night in an elimination game at Shelby Park at 7:00.