Joplin, Mo. - Following a home weekend series, the Missouri Southern baseball team was back at home for a midweek contest against the Rogers State Hillcats. This was the second meeting between the teams, as the Lions took game one of this spread out series 5-1. On Tuesday, the Lions picked up another win by a score of 13-4. With the win, MSSU moves to 27-6 (14-3 MIAA) on the year.
The Hillcats managed to put things together in their first opportunity, scoring a run on an infield single. Things remained 1-0 until the bottom of the third, as
Andrew Brubeck and
Drew Townsend drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. A fielder's choice moved runners to first and third, then
Will Doherty tied it up with an RBI double to right. After another walk,
Henry Kusiak came home to score on a ground out fielder's choice, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead.
The fourth inning was a back and forth frame, as RSU took the lead back at 4-2, but the Lions responded in their half of the inning to regain a 5-4 lead.
Garrett Rice singled to lead off the inning, quickly moving to second on a stolen base.
Nate Mieszkowski walked, and both runners moved up a base thanks to a sacrifice bunt. Rice then scored on a ground out to short, and
Henry Kusiak tripled to right-center to tie things up. It was
Will Doherty coming up big again, poking a single to left to score Kusiak.
Picking up where they left off,
Nate Mieszkowski doubled home
Garrett Rice early in the fifth, then he came around to score on a sacrifice fly. The inning was capped off with a two-run double from
Ethan Clark, giving Southern a 9-4 lead.
Another run was scored in the sixth, as
Will Doherty drew a bases loaded walk, and the Lions plated one in the seventh on a ground out to first. Two more runs were scored in the eighth, thanks to an RBI single from
Wyatt Morgan and a fielder's choice, making it a 13-4 final score.
Will Doherty went 3-3 with a double, recording 3 RBI. He scored a run and walked 3 times as well.
Ethan Clark was 2-4 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI as well.
Henry Kusiak recorded a triple, picking up 2 RBI and crossing the plate 3 times on the day. Already leading all of NCAA Division II in walks,
Drew Townsend recorded 4 more in Tuesday's contest.
The team will hit the road for their next competition. Starting Thursday, the Lions will play a three game series against the Northwest Missouri Bearcats in Maryville, Missouri. Game one will be played at 3:00pm on Thursday, March 28.
