Hays, Kan. - The Missouri Southern baseball team wrapped up their conference-opening series Sunday afternoon against the Fort Hays State Tigers. Although they had already clinched the series win with victories in games one and two, the Lions dropped game three by a score of 5-3. With the loss, Southern moves to 14-3 (2-1 MIAA) on the year.
The Lions made a threat in the first as they loaded the bases, but the Tigers got out of the jam without surrendering a run. Using the momentum from their defensive stop, FHSU plated a run in the bottom of the inning with two outs. They scored another in the second and their third run in the fifth inning.
Another two runs were scored by the hosts in the sixth inning, making it a 5-0 score heading into the final three frames.
Henry Kusiak led off the seventh with a solo home run, then
Nate Mieszkowski made his way around the bases and eventually scored all on wild pitches.
Ethan Clark drove in the final run for MSSU in the ninth, making it a 5-3 final score.
Henry Kusiak went 3-4 at the plate, picking up an RBI on his solo home run. With those hits today, he now sits 6 hits shy of tying the MSSU all-time record.
Ethan Clark picked up a hit on the afternoon, driving in a pair of runs as well.
Drew Townsend and
Chayton Beck each recorded two walks in the game.
The team will play a mid-week contest at Oklahoma Baptist on Tuesday, February 27 before playing their next MIAA series. That game is scheduled for 3:00pm in Shawnee, Oklahoma.