JOPLIN, Mo. — Missouri Southern State (23-12, 18-7 MIAA) edged out Pittsburg State (28-8, 17-8 MIAA) with a 14-12 victory on Tuesday at Warren Turner Field.
Missouri Southern recorded 14 hits, including a home run, and drew 14 walks in the game.
The Lions secured a 14-12 victory against Pittsburg State in a high-scoring match-up. The game began with a strong start from Missouri Southern, scoring three runs in the first inning.
Aiden Hinkle,
Brayden Luikart, and
Will Doherty loaded the bases with walks.
Jacob Filip's single brought in Hinkle and Luikart, while Doherty scored on
Jason Lazo's sacrifice fly. The score was 3-0 at the end of the first inning.
In the second inning, Missouri Southern extended its lead with five more runs.
Andrew Young and Hinkle reached base, and Doherty was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Filip singled to score Young, and
Blake Jones walked to bring in Hinkle. A subsequent walk by Lazo and a single from
Jake Leeker added three more runs. The inning concluded with an 8-0 lead for the Lions.
Pittsburg got on the board in the fourth with a solo home run by Dagen Brewer, but the Lions responded with three runs of their own. Leeker hit a solo home run, followed by Doherty's single that drove in two more runs after a passed ball advanced the runners. Southern led 11-1 at the end of the fourth inning.
The fifth inning saw Pittsburg State narrow the gap with six runs. Andrew Branson's home run, and a series of plays including a double by Isaac Webb, accounted for the scoring. Missouri Southern added one more run when Doherty was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing the score to 12-7. This hit by pitch matching a program record of 6, last done in 2023.
In the sixth inning, Southern added two runs with Leeker's two-RBI double. Pittsburg State was held scoreless, keeping the lead at 14-7.
Pittsburg continued to fight back, scoring three runs in the seventh, highlighted by Landon Bruce's two-RBI double. The score was 14-10 heading into the eighth inning.
The Gorillas added a solo homer by Landin Midgett in the eighth, and another run in the ninth inning on Webb's RBI single. Despite the late surge, Missouri Southern maintained its lead to secure the win.
Braden Ray started the game for the Lions, pitching 4 innings and allowing 5 hits with 4 earned runs. He issued 1 walk and struck out 4 batters, throwing 70 pitches with 44 strikes.
Jackson Gamble relieved Ray, pitching 2/3 inning, but struggled with control, issuing 3 walks and conceding 3 runs on 2 hits.
Marcus Young contributed 2 1/3 innings, striking out 4 and allowing 3 runs with 3 hits.
Carter Stover closed the game, pitching 2 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 2 hits, and recording his second save of the season.
Aiden Hinkle demonstrated patience at the plate, drawing five walks and crossing the plate three times. Luikart contributed with a blend of speed and power, scoring twice and recording one hit and one stolen base. Doherty made a strong impact, tallying three RBIs while scoring twice himself. Filip excelled offensively, collecting four hits and three RBIs to boost the team's performance.
