Emporia, Kan. -- The Missouri Southern baseball team dropped a pair of games today at fifth-ranked Emporia State, losing game one 12-2 and the nightcap 11-8. The Lions also lost the completion of game two from yesterday, 7-5.
Southern (14-18, 10-16 MIAA) managed just five hits and two runs in game one as ESU (27-4, 23-3) starter Zach Gove went six and a third innings, striking out three, whie walking one and limiting the Lions to just one earned run.
Harrison Gerber had a pair of hits and scored both runs for the Lions in game one. CJ Matthews, Patrick Deao and Fernando Lugo had a hit each. Ryan Wheat started for Southern and went three and two thirds, striking out two and walking one. Bo Bergen, Ryan Taylor and Grant Conrad threw in relief for Southern.
The Lions got on board first with an RBI single from Jesse Kinzey in the first inning of game two, driving in Dane Kolkmeyer.
Emporia scored early with four runs in the first and led 10-1 after five innings, but the Lions bounced back and put seven runs on the board in the top of the sixth.
Tee Helsel homered to lead off the inning and Lugo doubled to center following the bomb. Gerber drove in Lugo with a double to left center and scored on an RBI single from Matthews up the middle. Kinzey doubled home both Matthews and Kolkmeyer and Deao added a two run home run.
Emporia added a run in the bottom of the inning to make the final tally 11-8.
Kinzey was 2-5 with three RBIs and a run scored. Helsel went 3-5 with a homer, while Lugo went 3-4 with a run scored. Three other Lions had a pair of hits each.
David Reese started for Southern and went two and two thirds with three strikeouts and no walks. Michael Mudd threw two thirds of an inning, while Tyler Jinks was very effective with three and a third, allowing just one run and four hits. Bo Bergen threw the final inning and a third, allowing just one hit.
The Lions will be back in action this Tuesday evening, playing host to Pittsburg State in a Sonic Trophy Series double-header beginning at 3 pm in Joe Becker Stadium.
