Henderson, TN – The Lambuth Eagles baseball team traveled to Henderson, TN this past weekend tied with Freed-Hardeman for 2^nd place in the TranSouth Conference. Both teams came in with an 11-6 record and both featured two of the highest regarded pitchers in the conference. Freed ranked #29 in the last NAIA poll was ranked third in the region and Lambuth was just mere votes behind in fourth.

Friday's nine-inning game was truly a great match-up between two good teams. The game featured clutch hits, great pitching in very tough situations and highlight reel catches that saved the game for both teams. Freed jumped out to an early lead when they took advantage of a lead off error and scored a couple of runs to take a 2-0 lead. They would ride the arm of their ace for most of the game as he held the Lambuth offense scoreless until the fourth inning when Mike Davis drove in Brandon Craig after he led off the inning with a hit by pitch. The score would stay 2-1 until the top of the eighth when Bryan Willsey led the inning off with a double. He would advance to third on a wild pitch and score on a Matt Bird groundout. After eight innings the score was knotted at two.

Kory Bates started on the mound for the Eagles and after giving up two runs in the first held Freed's offense scoreless for the next six innings. Bates gained a no decision going seven innings striking out six and only allowing one earned run. Erin Keel entered the game in the eighth and retired six straight hitters to keep Lambuth alive. Freed-Hardeman stayed with their ace until the top of the eleventh when Ryan Hanson led the inning off with a home run. Later on in the inning Brandon Craig and Ben White would hit back to back doubles to plate another run and Lambuth would take a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eleventh. Tony Perez would enter the game for the Eagles and would surrender the lead by giving up two runs on three hits. Willsey would save the day for the Eagles when he threw the winning run out at the plate for the third out in the inning. The Eagles would mount no offense for the next few innings, but would mount some great pitching in tight situations. Freshman Mike Fike would enter the game in the twelfth and immediately find himself in a jam. With two outs in the inning, Fike loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch, but would record a strikeout to end the inning. In the thirteenth, Fike found himself in a bases loaded jam with only one out, but again he recorded a strikeout and then a fly out to centerfield. Lambuth would finally put a run on the board in the top of the fourteenth when Ryan Concannon started the inning with a double and scored when the Freed pitcher threw Henry Sanchez's bunt into left field. Lambuth would head into the bottom of the inning leading 5-4. Fike would close the game out by getting a two-out bases loaded fly ball. Fike (2-2) got himself out of three bases loaded jams to gain his second victory of the season and his college career.

The second game saw Freed bounce back and try to gain a victory in the series. Freed put up three unearned runs in the first inning off of starter Brent Ebinger. The offense again was very steady and scored in five of the seven innings to win game three 8-5. Ebinger (10-1) threw a complete game giving up five runs (two earned) on nine hits and struck out four. Craig fulfilled his day going 2 for 3 with another home run and two RBI's. Mike Davis hit his team leading ninth homerun of the season while Brad Barnes and Ryan Concannon also added home runs.

After the series Lambuth gained sole possession of second place in the TranSouth Conference behind Trevecca University, who clinched first place in the conference after their sweep of Mid-Continent this weekend. Lambuth is not only in second place, but wrapped up a spot in the conference tournament for the first time since joining the TranSouth Conference. Lambuth finished the 2007 season 5-21, in 2008 the Eagles are 14-6 one of the biggest turnarounds in recent history.