Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern baseball team was at home for the first time this season, playing host to the Ouachita Baptist Tigers. Last weekend, the Lions fell to the Tigers at the Dugan Invitational, but Friday's contest was much different. The game was cut short after 7 innings of play, as the Lions run-ruled the Tigers 15-1 in game one of the three-game series.
After a quiet first inning of play, the Lions got on the board with a major statement in the second inning.
Treghan Parker led off the inning with a single, then
Will Doherty drove him in with a blast over the left field wall.
Nate Mieszkowski followed with an almost identical outcome, launching a home run to left as well.
OBU responded with a home run in the top of the third, their only hit and run scored in the game. MSSU wasted no time getting that run back, as
Will Doherty came up big once again, driving in
Henry Kusiak and
Drew Townsend on a triple. Another run was scored on a wild pitch, then
Drew Davis singled home Mieszkowski. Townsend got another plate appearance in the inning, driving home another pair to make the score 9-1.
Ethan Clark crossed the plate in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly, and another couple were scored in the fifth on a wild pitch and a
Treghan Parker single. With two outs in the sixth inning,
Henry Kusiak and Clark hit back-to-back singles, driving in the final two runs of the game.
Cole Gayman struck out two of the three batters in the top of the seventh, ending the game early 15-1 via the run rule.
Cole Gayman, named NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week on Wednesday, was dominant once again. He threw all 7.0 innings, surrendering just one run on one hit. He only walked 2 batters and struck out 9.
Will Doherty was one of four Lions with two hits on the day, recording 4 RBI with a triple and a home run.
Drew Townsend,
Henry Kusiak, and
Nate Mieszkowski each finished with 2 RBI as well.
The team continues their series with Ouachita Baptist on Saturday, playing a doubleheader starting at 12:00pm.
