Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern baseball team scored four runs in the eighth inning and Payton Walker threw eight strong innings as the Lions came-from-behind to defeat Fort Hays State 5-2 in game one of the series today at Warren Turner Field. 

The Lions (27-14, 17-13 MIAA) got 2-for-4 performances from both Brett Graham and Richie Gorski as Graham scored twice and drove in a run, while Gorski had an RBI. Jacob Bryant, Chris Hoffman, Jesse Rall and Jackson Cain all had hits, while Cain, and Rall drove in a run. Rall and Hoffman scored a run each. 

Walker started and went eight innings, allowing just one earned run, while striking out four to move his record to 7-3 on the season. Kyle McCulloch pitched the ninth and struck out two to earn his second save of the year. 

FHSU (17-24, 11-19 MIAA) was led by two hits each from Ty Reddington and Alex King. 

The Lions got on the board first with a run in the second when Cain singled home Graham with a shot through the left side. 

Hays scored a run in the third and another in the seventh to go up 2-1. 

Southern, however, would score four runs in the eighth to break open the game. Smith doubled to start the inning and moved to third after a ground out from Bryant. Hoffman then doubled home Smith to tie the game with a shot to the wall in right field. Hoffman advanced to third with a fly out from Sutherland and that's when the Lions' bats really went to work. Rall doubled home Hoffman to put the Lions on top and Graham singled home Rall to make the score 4-2. Another double, this time from Gorski, made the score 5-2 when Graham scored. 

The two teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon. First pitch from Turner Field is slated for 1 pm.