HENDERSON, Tenn. -- Defensive miscues against Midway University (Ky.) and a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning by Freed-Hardeman University (Tenn.) kept the University of St. Francis baseball team from recording its first win of the 2025 season as each opponent rallied for their respective victories on Friday at Five Wells Field.
The Saints (0-3) gained an initial 3-0 lead in the front end of their doubleheader, but could not hang on in closing the game out with a 7-6 extra-inning setback to Midway (2-6). USF looked to rebound in the nightcap, coming back to force a 1-1 tie with Freed-Hardeman (8-4) in the fourth inning. A two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, however, quickly dampened the momentum, eventually leading to a 3-2 loss.
Game 1: Midway 7, USF 6 (8 innings)
The Saints appeared to be on their way to their first win of the season, leading 6-1 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning only to have Midway score five unearned runs. Two errors and two hits set the stage for a back-breaking, three-run home run to force a 6-6 tie.
USF was able to extend the contest into extra innings, but the Eagles put together three straight singles in the bottom of the eighth inning to win the game. The Saints gave up just two earned runs in the contest.
Up until the sixth inning, the St. Francis pitching staff dominated Midway's hitters, allowing just four hits, with the Eagles' lone run scoring on a sacrifice fly. The defensive mistakes, however, erased a productive day at the plate for USF's hitters, who tallied eight total hits in the contest, including a pair of RBI singles from
Nate Maliska and one from
Brayan Hidalgo.
Drew Dant also recorded his first home run of the season with a shot over the right field wall in the sixth inning, while
Jake Merda drove in another run on a sacrifice fly.
Cody Nold (0-1) took the loss for the Saints on the mound, giving up three hits and one earned run in his 1 1/3 innings of work.
Jackson Lee was credited with the win, upping his record to 1-2 on the year.
Game 2: Freed-Hardeman 3, USF 2
After each team traded runs to start the game, a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning gave Freed-Hardeman the win in the nightcap. The Lions were able to connect for the big hit after a lead-off walk provided the opportunity for the two-run shot.
It was a pitcher's duel in the first three innings of play with neither team managing more than three hits for their respective squads. Both USF's
Frank Curbis and Freed-Hardeman's Cooper Johnson struck out three batters, while giving up their initial runs on sacrifice flies.
Four Saints authored a hit in the contest with
Max Montgomery recording the only RBI with his suicide squeeze scoring Dant in the fourth inning.
Mitchell Thomas was awarded USF's second run in the fifth inning as the result of a balk.
Michael Leonard (0-1) took the loss on the mound for the Saints, giving up two earned runs on two hits, while gifting four free passes with two walks and two hit batters.
Johnson was credited with the win, improving his record to 2-1 on the year.
Up Next
The Saints will square off against Freed-Hardeman again on Saturday in the last game of its three-day road trip. Game time is slated for 12 pm.
You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.
