Joplin, Mo. -- The No. 20 Missouri Southern baseball team dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1 tonight at the hands of visiting Central Oklahoma on Warren Turner Field.
The Lions (17-7, 5-5 MIAA) got a pair of hits each from
Johnny Balsamo and
Cory Canterbury, while Canterbury scored the lone run and both had a double.
Alex Phillips,
Alec Alvarez and
Alex Wheeler had a hit each.
Corey Cowan started and went five innings, scattering five hits and allowing two runs, while striking out five and walking two.
Joey Reeves threw three innings of one-hit ball with five strikeouts, while
Logan VanWey allowed just a hit and struck out one in an inning of work.
UCO (19-8, 11-2 MIAA) got a 2-for-4 day at the plate from Paul Kropf, while Tyler Culver started and went five innings for the win.
The Bronchos started the scoring with runs in the fourth and fifth to go up 2-0, before the Lions got a run in the fifth as Canterbury scored on a throwing error.
Southern had its chances in the game, but left 11 on base.
Southern will be back in action this weekend as the Lions play host to Emporia State in a three-game set beginning Friday at 6 pm.