FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 22, 2007

Lions fall to Missouri Western in slugfest

Box Score
 
St. Joseph, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Lions and Missouri Western Griffons combined for 23 runs and 31 hits in an offensive slugfest, but it was the Griffons that had a little too much offense and they defeated the Lions 13-10, sweeping a four-game series that concluded Sunday (Apr. 22) in St. Joseph, Mo.

Starting pitcher Luke Lawver helped his own cause by putting the Lions ahead 1-0 in the first with an RBI double that scored Cliff Wheeler. The Lions added an unearned run in the second to go up 2-0.

The Griffons (22-20, 15-11 MIAA) scored their first run in the second, but did the majority of their offensive damage in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Kellen Hobie hit a two-run double that keyed a three-run third for Western that put the Griffons ahead 4-2.

The Lions (15-27, 8-19 MIAA) answered with three of their own in the fifth as Lawver and Henry Adams each had run-scoring singles in the inning that put Southern back in front 5-4.

Western jumped back on top with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run double by Adam Carolan.

MSSU tied the score in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Wheeler that scored Brett Velliquette that evened the score at 6-6.

But the Griffons would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth with a four-run inning off of Lion relievers Andrew Doennig and Aaron Jenkins.

Southern tried to fight back in the seventh with RBI singles from Brett Velliquette and Matt Imrie to come within 10-8, but Western put up three more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 13-8 lead.

Wheeler and David Cheney each hit a run-scoring single in the ninth for Southern that rounded out the scoring.

Doennig came on in the fifth in relief of Lawver and gave up four runs in 1 1/3 innings to get the loss.

Blake Thomas was the winning pitcher after pitching one inning of relief and allowing two runs for the Griffons.

Lawver lasted four innings, allowing four runs, three earned in a no-decision.

The Lions will next play a four-game, three-day weekend series at fifth ranked Central Missouri that will begin on Friday (Apr. 27) at 7 p.m. in Warrensburg, Mo. The Mules are 40-8 overall and lead the MIAA with a 22-5 conference mark.