Tahlequah, Okla. -- The 16th ranked Missouri Southern baseball team split a double-header today at Northeastern State, losing game one 6-0, but winning in the nightcap 5-1. 

The Lions (34-11, 24-6 MIAA) ran into a strong pitching performance in game one as NSU's (25-20, 17-17 MIAA) starter Ryan Helsey limited Southern to just one hit, a bunt single for Chris Hoffman, and struck out 12 in six innings. 

Payton Walker started for the Lions and went five and a third, striking out two. Kanon Hoover threw two thirds of perfect relief. 

Game two starter Cody Hutchinson was brilliant for the Lions as the righty threw his second-straight complete game, his sixth of the season, to move his record to 9-0 on the year. The nine wins are just two away from the single-season MSSU record. 

The Lions got on top first with an RBI single from Hoffman, scoring Jesse Rall. Rall then added a pair of runs in the seventh when he homered to centerfield. Rall and Jon Davis added RBIs in the eighth to put the game away. 

Davis went 4-4 in the game with an RBI. Rall went 1-5 with three RBIs and a home run. The homer, his 14th of the season, is just two from tying the single-season record at MSSU. Richie Gorski, Hoffman, and Tee Helsel had a hit each in the game, with Gorski, Hoffman, Rall, Chad Shannon and Mitchell Osburn scoring a run each. 

The Lions will be back at it tomorrow with a double-header beginning at noon.