Joplin, Mo. -- The 24th ranked Missouri Southern baseball team opened up the 2016 season today with a double-header sweep of visiting Bemidji State. Southern won the opener 1-0 and took the nightcap 15-3. 

The Lions (2-0) got a stellar pitching performance in game one from senior southpaw Payton Walker. Walker went eight innings, and combined with Kyle McCulloch for the shutout. Walker struck out five and walked just one, while allowing only three hits. McCulloch struck out two in a perfect ninth to pick up the save. 

Both teams remained scoreless until the eighth inning when a lead off walk to Matt Smith started the rally. Danny Biggs pinch ran for Smith and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jackson Cain. He then scored on an RBI double from Hayden Steele. 

Steele and Richie Gorski had the lone hits in the game for the Lions. 

In game two, a grand slam from Chris Hoffman highlighted a nine-run fourth inning for the Lions. Jacob Bryant picked up an RBI in the inning, while Joe Paulino had an RBI double scoring two. Gorski and Tyler Sutherland also had RBIs in the inning. 

After Bemidji (0-2) scored two runs in the sixth, the Lions scored six more runs in the sixth inning. Hoffman, Brett Graham and Paulino had RBIs in the inning, while Jacob Bryant drove in two. 

Hoffman went 3-5 in the game with five RBIs and three runs scored. Gorski went 4-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Paulino and Bryant had three RBIs each. 

Cody Hutchinson started and went six innings, striking out four and walking one. He scattered five hits and allowed two runs. Sean Goostree, Austin Aspegren and Trenton Moeller threw an inning each. 

The two teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon with a single, nine-inning game. First pitch from Warren Turner Field is slated for 1 pm.