Joplin, Mo. -- In a series that could go a long way to deciding this year's regular-season MIAA Championship, the 22nd ranked Missouri Southern baseball team will play host to No. 19 Emporia State this weekend in a three-game series at Warren Turner Field. Game times on Saturday, Sunday and Monday are slated for 1 pm each day. 

Emporia has dominated the all-time series between the two teams, 56-25, but the Lions won the regular-season and post season tournaments last year and were the preseason pick to win the MIAA this year. 

Both teams come into the contest swinging hot bats as Emporia leads the league and is fifth nationally in hitting, while the Lions are number three in the MIAA and are 42nd nationally. Both teams rank number one and two in the MIAA in slugging, as well as home runs.  

Pitching wise, ESU ranks second in the MIAA in ERA, while the Lions are fifth. The teams rank one and three in shutouts and strikeouts. 

Individually, ESU's Evan Koehler leads the country in home runs with 11, while the Lions' Jesse Rall ranks second nationally in hit by pitch and ninth in on base percentage. Rall ranks 11th nationally in slugging, while Tyler Sutherland ranks 17th in RBIs and third in sacrifice flies. Payton Walker leads the MIAA in wins with three. 

ESPN Joplin will have games one and two of the series live on 101.5 FM and online at www.mssulions.com.