Joplin, Mo. - The 10th ranked Missouri Southern baseball program will begin the Central Region Tournament against Arkansas Tech on Thursday, May 18th at 6:00 p.m. at Warren Turner Field. This will be the first time the two program will face off against each other since 2017 and the first time ever in postseason action.

The Lions (42-15) are led by Ethan Clark with a .384 average, 76 hits, 17 doubles, three home runs and 63 RBIs. Nate Mieszkowski is hitting .383 with 93 hits, 18 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. Matt Miller is hitting .347 with 75 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, 23 home runs and 77 RBIs. Garrett Rice is hitting .338 with 67 hits, 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 42 RBIs. Henry Kusiak is hitting .320 with 74 hits, 17 doubles, 13 home runs and 58 RBIs. Drew Davis is hitting .315 with 47 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 28 RBIs. Treghan Parker is hitting .312 with 59 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 58 RBIs. Will Doherty is hitting .301 with 55 hits, 14 doubles, six home runs and 40 RBIs. 

On the mound Cole Woods is 10-3 with a 3.44 ERA and 1.08 WHIP from 15 starts for 91.2 innings with 101 strikeouts, 22 walks and opponents hitting .229. Kyle Moore is 8-4 with three saves a 5.62 ERA and 1.42 WHIP from 25 appearances for 65.2 innings with 56 strikeouts, 23 walks and opponents hitting .271. Laif Hultine is 3-2 with six saves a 3.49 ERA and 1.24 WHIP from 25 appearances for 38.2 innings with 44 strikeouts, 12 walks and opponents hitting .242.

Arkansas Tech (32-20) is led by Sam Stephenson with a .399 average, 67 hits, seven doubles, three triples, three home runs and 22 RBIs. Nick Jones is hitting .391 with 63 hits, 15 doubles, three home runs and 48 RBIs. Brandon Bunton is hitting .340 with 52 hits, seven doubles and 26 RBIs. Sawyer Duddleston is hitting .335 with 59 hits, 12 doubles, six triples, six home runs and 52 RBIs. Keaton Ranallo is hitting .328 with 66 hits, 19 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 50 RBIs. Cade McBride is hitting .322 with 68 hits, 12 doubles, two home runs and 34 RBIs. Logan Schwenke is hitting .319 with 53 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs and 52 RBIs. Shane Poe is hitting .308 with 41 hits, six doubles and 19 RBIs.

On the mound John Gray is 6-4 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.34 WHIP from 14 starts for 83.0 innings with 76 strikeouts, 29 walks and opponents hitting .259. Will Horton is 3-0 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.31 WHIP from 23 appearances for 31.1 innings with 26 strikeouts, eight walks and opponents hitting .280. Mason Griffin is 2-2 with eight saves a 3.16 ERA and 1.21 WHIP from 17 appearances for 25.2 innings with 27 strikeouts, 13 walks and opponents hitting .200.