FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 1, 2007

Offensive explosions lead to Lions sweep of Northwest Missouri

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Lions' bats came alive in a big way in doubleheader sweep of the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats Sunday afternoon (Apr. 1) at Joe Becker Stadium.  The Lions routed the Bearcats 15-6 in the opener, then hung on for a 9-8 win in the nightcap.

After Britt Westman hit a two-run home run to give Northwest an early 2-0 lead in the first, the Lions responded with four runs in each of the first three innings to take a 12-2 lead after three.

Henry Adams sparked the first inning with a three-run double and Kyle Cupp also had a run-scoring single in the first.

Cupp and Adams again came through in the second as Adams hit a two-run single and Cupp drove in Matt Imrie with an RBI double.

Adams again delivered with a two-run single in the four-run third inning for Southern.  Adams finished the first game 3-4 with seven RBI and a run scored.  Cupp was also 3-4 with two runs scored and two driven in.

Lions' starter Lucas Vestal gave up four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work to get the victory, while Bearcats' hurler Joel Epley was hammered for eight runs in only 1 2/3 innings.  Epley entered the game as the Bearcats' top thrower with a 1.80 earned run average.

The victory for Southern came with a price though as third baseman Matt Mantle left the first game in the second inning with a leg injury running between first and second base after hitting an RBI double that scored Justin Heuther.

The second game again saw the Lions (12-17, 5-9 MIAA) get off to a quick start with three runs in the first off NWMSU starter Danny Malone.  The three-run first featured an RBI double from Luke Lawver and a run-scoring single by Heuther.

After the Bearcats (15-15, 8-4 MIAA) scored a pair of runs in the second, the Lions took charge with four runs in the bottom of the third. 

Lawver scored the first run of the inning on a single by Kyle Knight, then Cliff Wheeler gave the fans a thrill with his third home run of the season, a three-run shot that made it 7-2 Lions.

Northwest wouldn't go without a fight as they scored three runs in the fourth and came within 9-8 in the ninth inning with the tying run at third and two outs facing Southern reliever Knight. 

But Knight retired Westman on a fly out to right field to give the Lions the victory.

Lawver started the game for the Lions and got the victory by pitching five innings and allowing four earned runs on nine hits.

Malone was hit hard for eight runs on 10 hits in five innings in the loss for NWMSU.

The Lions will now hit the road for a four-game series at Emporia State, beginning with a seven and nine inning doubleheader on Friday (Apr. 6) at 3 p.m.