HENDERSON, Tenn.-- Cumberland baseball splits their Mid-South Conference doubleheader with Freed-Hardeman for their first conference loss of the season.

Cumberland powered their way past the Lions in game one, roping five long balls in the contest to pick up an 11-7 win in the series opener. Reid Madariaga picked up his sixth win on the mound and Mitch Rogers collected the save while striking out five batters.

Tyner Hughes and Chewy Sanders combined for a huge day at the plate. Hughes went 3-for-4 with two home runs and two RBI while Chewy Sanders went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. 

The Phoenix took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back home runs by Dee Triplett and Sanders. The Phoenix pushed another run across in the third inning thanks to Hughes sending his first home run of the game over the left field wall.

Freed-Hardeman responded in the bottom half of the inning with a home run of their own by Presley to trail 4-1 after three innings of play.

Cumberland extended their lead to start the fifth inning after Brandon Boxer was driven in on a fielder's choice by Triplett. Sanders came up next and tripled off the center-field wall for an RBI and was brought home on a sacrifice fly from Tim Holyk for a 7-1 lead. 

Freed-Hardeman cut their deficit down to 7-6 instantly with three runs of their own, highlighted by two home runs.

The Phoenix continued to hit well in the sixth inning, posting three runs including Hughes' 14th home run of the season and second of the game.  Cumberland added one more run in the top of the seventh on Sanders' second home run of the game for an 11-6 lead.

Sean Rooney led off the bottom half of the seventh with a solo home run but Rogers slammed the door on any further damage, securing the 11-7 win.

Freed-Hardeman held the Phoenix' bats in check in game two, holding them to only six hits in the game. Trevor Muzzi got the ball on the hill, throwing five innings with seven strikeouts and only one earned run. Logan Baskin pitched two innings in relief with two strikeouts and two earned runs.

Triplett recorded a multi home run game in a 2-for-4 effort with three RBI. Sanders built on his already impressive day with a 2-for-3 game in game two.

The Phoenix got off to a quick start again in game two after Triplett put them on the board with a two-run home run over the right-center wall for a 2-0 lead. Freed-Hardeman threatened early in the bottom half of the inning working a bases loaded no-out situation. They only managed to push one run across in the inning as Muzzi worked out of trouble to hold on to a 2-1 lead.

Both pitchers shoved until the sixth inning when Triplett roped his third home run of the day to right field for a 3-1 Cumberland lead. The Lions got the run back in the bottom of the seventh with a lead off home run by Will McCall to cut the lead down to 3-2.

Freed-Hardeman stunned the Phoenix with a three-run inning in the bottom of the eighth to take their first lead of the game and held on in the ninth to win 5-3 and split the doubleheader.

Cumberland will be back in action tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. for the series finale.