Joplin, Mo. -- Missouri Southern lefty Zach Litchen threw six innings in relief to pick up the win and Jesse Rall hit his second home run of the weekend as the 15th ranked Missouri Southern baseball team took out visiting McKendree 12-7 today in front of a big crowd at Warren Turner Field. 

Southern (7-0) was led offensively by three hits each for Richie Gorski, Jacob Bryant and Hayden Steele. Gorski scored twice, while Bryant drove in a run and scored three times. Steele drove in three. Chris Hoffman went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Rall drove in three and scored once. Danny Biggs had a two-run triple on the afternoon. Brett Graham and Tyler Sutherland scored a run each. 

Cody Smith started for the Lions, but lasted just two innings. Kyle McCulloch threw an inning of relief, but Litchen had a gem on the mound as he went six innings, striking out six and walking just one, allowing only two hits to move to 1-0 on the season. He threw just 69 pitches and shutout the McKendree bats. 

The Bearcats (0-2) had a pair of hits each from Brad Groleau and Colton Calhoun. 

McKendree scored four in the first inning, but the Lions answered back with three of their own in the bottom half of the frame. back-to-back singles from Gorski and Hoffman to start the inning, led to an RBI single from Brant and Bryant and Sutherland later scored on a Steele RBI double. 

The Lions added two more runs in the second on a Hoffman two-RBI double, and after McKendree scored three in the third, the Lions added two more in the third. Bryant led off with a single and Graham doubled him over to third. Biggs then tripled into the right field corner, clearing the bases. 

The game was tied until the sixth when a three-run home run from Rall highlighted a four-run inning for the Lions. Steele singled home Bryant later in the inning. 

Southern added an insurance run in the seventh when Matt Smith scored on a wild pitch. 

The two teams will finish off the series tomorrow. First pitch from Turner Field is slated for noon.