Joplin, Mo. -- A little over eight hours at the park, only four and a half playing baseball, and the Missouri Southern baseball team split a double-header with visiting Lincoln University, winning the opener 8-3, but dropping the nightcap 5-3. 

The Lions (17-23, 13-21 MIAA) and the Blue Tigers (11-24, 10-24 MIAA) sat through a 2:20 rain and lightning delay in game one and another 1:05 delay in game two today, but got both games in. 

Cody Griebling was masterful for the Lions in game one, going the distance and throwing just 81 pitches in seven innings. He struck out one and scattered six hits while holding Lincoln scoreless the final five innings. Patrick Deao and Tee Helsel both went 3-4 in game one, while Deao drove in two and the pair both scored once each. Harrison Gerber, Dallas Burke and CJ Matthews had two hits each with Gerber driving in a pair. 

After Lincoln went on top with three runs in the top of the second inning, the Lions responded with four in the bottom half. That's when the lightning and rain came into play. When play resumed, the Lions added another run in the third and three more in the fourth. Griebling would make that hold and cruised to his sixth win of the year. 

Game two starter Ryan Wheat was just as masterful, but suffered the hard luck loss as the Lions' bats went cold. Wheat went eight innings, striking out a career-high 11 and walking just three, while allowing three earned runs. 

Lincoln starter Chris Pfau threw a complete-game and allowed just seven hits and two earned runs, while striking out six. 

Deao had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Lions while five others had a hit each. 

The two teams will be back at it tomorrow morning as with impending weather, the start time has been pushed up from the originally slated 1 pm to 10 am at Joe Becker Stadium.