St. Joseph, Mo. --  The No. 11 ranked Missouri Southern baseball team led 2-1 after six, but a four-run seventh inning for Missouri Western helped the Griffons defeat the Lions 5-2 today in St. Joseph. 

Southern (15-5, 8-4 MIAA) got another solid pitching performance from one of its starters as senior Ethan Stenger went six and a third, allowing two runs and striking out two. Bo Bergen and Grant Conrad pitched in relief. 

Western (12-6, 5-3 MIAA) got on board first with a run in the fourth, but the Lions answered back with two runs in the fifth. Harrison Gerber singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a bunt single from Thomas Wilson. Gerber would later score on an error and McCoy scored on a sacrifice fly from Michael McCoy. 

The Griffons did their damage in the seventh, however as back-to-back doubles and a single plated four runs in the inning. 

The Lions had men on base in each of the eighth and ninth innings, but left both on base. 

Wilson went 2-4 with a run scored in the game, while Gerber was 1-2 with a run of his own. Cullen Baxter, Dane Kolkmeyer and McCoy had a hit each for the Lions. 

Southern will be back in action on Tuesday at Joe Becker Stadium, playing host to William Woods in a double-header beginning at 1 pm.