Hot Springs, Ark. - The Missouri Southern baseball team kicked off their 2025 season on Friday January 31 at the Dugan Invitational in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In their season opener against the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders, the Lions took game one in a 14-4 run-rule victory.
Missouri Southern (1-0) | Southern Arkansas (0-1)
The Lions jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.
Ethan Clark kicked things off with a two-run homer over the left-center fence, sending
Drew Townsend home.
Treghan Parker drove in
Will Doherty with a single to right field, and Parker scored on
Brayden Luikart's ground out to second. The inning ended when a wild pitch from the Muleriders allowed
Cy Darnell to score.
Starting pitcher
Cole Gayman held Southern Arkansas hitless through the first two innings, backed by solid defense. He racked up four strikeouts, while the defense contributed with a line out and a ground out.
In the top of the third, Southern's
Blake Jones drilled a two-run homer over right field, bringing
Brayden Luikart home.
Chayton Beck then singled to center and scored on an
Ethan Clark single, extending the Lions' lead to 8-0.
Southern Arkansas plated two runs in the fourth inning with a two RBI single.
Cole Gayman closed out the bottom of the fourth with a strikeout. The Muleriders added two more runs before the Lions brought in
Kyle Moore in the bottom of the fifth inning. The inning ended with a fielder's choice out at third base by
Will Doherty, 8-4.
The sixth inning remained quiet for both teams before the Lions plated four runs in the seventh.
Ethan Clark delivered a three-RBI double down the right field line, bringing in
Drew Townsend,
Chayton Beck, and
Blake Jones to extend the lead to 11-4. Clark later scored on a
Brayden Luikart single.
In the eighth,
Drew Townsend doubled to center field and came home on a Southern Arkansas wild pitch, making it 13-4.
Treghan Parker capped off the scoring with an RBI single to center, bringing in Clark.
Cole White closed the game for the Lions, recording two strikeouts.
Blake Jones contributed with a caught lineout for the second out. Missouri Southern wrapped up the game in the eighth inning, securing a 14-4 run-rule victory over Southern Arkansas.
Ethan Clark went 5-for-6 at the plate, driving in six runs with a home run and a double while scoring three times.
Drew Townsend went 3-for-4 with three runs, a double, and two walks.
Treghan Parker went 2-for-4 with a run, two RBIs, and two walks. The Lions combined for 14 hits in the game.
Cole Gayman earned the win, striking out eight over 24 batters faced.
Kyle Moore pitched 2.1 innings, while
Cole White closed the game, facing three batters and recording two strikeouts.
Up Next:
The Lions will continue to day two of the Dugan Invitational on Saturday, February 1, when they take on the Henderson State University Reddies. First pitch is set for 10:00 AM.
Stat Tracker:
- Hits: Ethan Clark (5), Drew Townsend (3), Treghan Parker (2), Chayton Beck (2), Brayden Luikart (1), Blake Jones (1)
- 2B: Drew Townsend (2), Ethan Clark (1)
- HR: Ethan Clark (1), Blake Jones, Blake (1)
- RBI: Ethan Clark (6), Treghan Parker (2), Brayden Luikart (2), Blake Jones (2)
- Pitching:
-Lions-
