Kearney, Neb. -- The No. 11 Missouri Southern baseball team led 7-4 after three and a half innings, but a four-run fourth for Nebraska-Kearney lifted the Lopers over the Lions, 11-7 today in the finale of the three-game MIAA series between the two MIAA schools. 

Southern (17-6, 5-4 MIAA) got a 3-for-4 day at the plate from Johnny Balsamo as he added three runs scored, two RBIs and led off the game with a home run. Cory Canterbury and Alex Phillips had three hits each, while Phillips drove in two with a home run and Canterbury drove in one. 

Alec Alvarez and Alex Wheeler had two hits each in the game. Zac Shoemaker started the game and went three innings, giving up five runs and strking out two. Jared Fores threw two and a third and was saddled with the loss. Cam Bednar threw an inning and two thirds, while Brennon Covington threw the final inning. 

The Lopers (13-10, 6-3 MIAA) had three with three hits including Brandon Hernandez, Dallas Schramm and Peter Carlson. 

Balsamo started the game with a home run to left field, his third of the season. The Lions added two more runs in the inning on RBIs from Alvarez and Wheeler. 

UNK got a run back in the first, but RBIs from Balsamo and Phillips in the second had the Lions with a 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the second. 

The Lopers got within a run with a pair of runs in the third, but a homer from Phillips in the fourth had the Lions up 6-4. 

UNK scored two in the sixth and one in the seventh before an RBI from Canterbury in the eighth provided the Lions' final run. 

Southern will be back in action on Tuesday night as the Lions play host to Central Oklahoma at 5 pm on Warren Turner Field.