Joplin, Mo. -- Jesse Kinzey hit two home runs in game two of the double-header and the Missouri Southern Lions saw two masterful pitching performances in sweeping Pittsburg State in baseball action today at Joe Becker Stadium, 9-3 and 6-1. The Lions also pick up the Sonic Trophy Series point by taking three of four games from the Gorillas in the season series.
Southern (16-18, 12-16 MIAA) saw near complete-game performances from both Cody Griebling in game one and Brett Abell in game two. Griebling went six innings, with three strikeouts and allowed just four hits while Bo Bergen pitched a hitless seventh. In game two, Abel went eight innings, scattering seven hits, while striking out seven, walking three and allowing just one run. Michael Mudd pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout.
The Lions used the big inning in game one, with three runs in the first and four in the third to take and early 7-0 lead. Two of Southern's three runs in the first were unearned with Patrick Deao picking up an RBI in the inning.
Deao would homer to start things off in the third, while Fernando Lugo (1) and Dane Kolkmeyer (2) picked up RBIs in the inning. The Lions added two more in the fifth after a Harrison Gerber dobule drove in two to make the score 9-0 and a three-run home run from Pitt's (13-19, 9-19 MIAA) Ryan Bilovesky made the final tally 9-3.
Deao went 3-4 in the opener with a pair of runs and two RBIs. Lugo was 3-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Kolkmeyer and Tee Helsel both had two hits. Kolkmeyer drove in two and scored once. Kinzey went 2-4 with a run and an RBI.
In game two, Abel gave up a run to Pitt in the first inning, but shut down the Gorillas from that point on. Southern tied up the score in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Kinzey. The Lions went ahead with two unearned in the second and home runs from Kinzey in the fifth and seventh put the game away.
Kinzey went 3-4 with two homers, three RBIs and two runs scored. Kolkmeyer was 3-3 with two runs scored, while Lugo and Cullen Baxter scored a run each.
The Lions defense had just one error on the day and turned four double-plays in the process.
Southern will be back in action this weekend with a pair of double-headers on Saturday and Sunday at Nebraska-Omaha.
