Tue, Mar 2, 2010 - [Baseball]
HENDERSON, Tenn. - As the old saying goes, there's a first time for everything.
That was the case on Tuesday afternoon at Carnes Field as Gage Franklin and Adam Blackburn threw back-to-back no-hitters as the Freed-Hardeman Lions swept a double-header from Lane (Tenn.) College, 10-0 and 13-2.
It is the first time in recorded history that two Lion pitchers have tossed no-hitters in both ends of a double-header and only the third and fourth no-hitters in recorded history.
And, though there are four no-hitters, only two last names appear in the record books. Gage's brother, Tyler, threw the first on April 28, 2006. Blackburn threw the second on April 7, 2008.
Franklin almost tossed a perfect game as the freshman issued no walks and struck out 10 in six innings of work. Brian Bullard's error in the second inning allowed Travis Holloway to be the only Lane player to reach base.
The Lions blew the first game open with a seven-run fifth inning highlighted by two-run singles from Justin Mackey and Robert Prieto and finished the run-rule victory in the sixth when Garrett Ammons beat out a double play with one out in the inning, allowing Storm Bates to score from third.
Blackburn followed in the second game by allowing no hits and one walk while fanning nine over five innings of work but allowed two unearned runs as the FHU defense made six errors. Those two runs, though, were of no consequence as the Lions pounded out 13 hits in four innings and scored at least twice in each inning.
Prieto and Noslen Labrada each had two hits in the first game. Blake Taylor, Joe Mike, Evan Mansell, and Mark Kelley all hit safely twice in the second game.
The Lions improve to 8-5 on the season with the wins.
