FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mar. 16, 2007

Lions score six runs late to rally for a 12-10 win at Fort Hays State in MIAA opener

Box Score

Hays, Kan. - Senior Brett Velliquette went 3-4 and drove in three runs as the Missouri Southern Lions rallied from four runs down to win their opening game in Mid-America Athletics Association (MIAA) play, 12-10 over the Fort Hays State Tigers Friday night (Mar. 16) in the opening game of a four-game weekend series. 

The Lions trailed the Tigers 10-6 heading into the eighth before going to work.  Scott Klassen drew a one-out walk and later came around to score on an RBI single by Mantle.  The Lions then plated two more runs courtesy of wild pitches before Velliquette's two-run double gave the Lions an 11-10 lead.

Matt Mantle then hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning that scored Kyle Cupp to give Southern an insurance run.

MSSU got things rolling early when Kyle Knight reached on a fielder's choice in the first that scored Velliquette. 

The Tigers answered back and took the early lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on run-scoring singles from Rob Nelson and Luke Dreiling. 

The Lions (8-8, 1-0 MIAA) regained the lead in the third on a three-run double from Klassen and added another run in the fourth on a solo home run from Velliquette.

Fort Hays (10-6, 0-1 MIAA) responded in a big way and made things tough on the Lions by scoring one in the fourth, five in the fifth and two more in the seventh.  J.R. Reynolds homered for the Tigers in the fourth inning and Dusty Washburn and Cody Staten each had two-run doubles to key the Tigers eruption in the fifth. 

Andrew Doennig recorded the final out in the seventh to get the win for Southern.  Kyle Knight pitched two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to pick up his second save of the season. 

The Lions and Tigers will play a doubleheader tomorrow (Mar. 17) beginning at 1 p.m. before wrapping up the series with a single game on Sunday (Mar. 18), also at 1 p.m. in Hays, Kan.