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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Lions trailed early in both games of a seven and nine-inning doubleheader with the Southwest Baptist Bearcats, but came charging back each time to record a doubleheader sweep Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 1) at Joe Becker Stadium. The victories move the Lions to 10-18 overall and 8-6 in the MIAA. SBU jumped out to a 6-0 lead of the opening seven-inning contest with five runs in the first and one in the second. Brad Mountjoy and Kyle Howell each drove in two runs in the first and Justin Barnhart had an RBI single in the second for the Bearcats. The Lions answered with three in the bottom of the second and Matt Mantle doubled home two runs in the third before Juan Hernandez' two-run single put the Lions up 7-6 after three innings. Derek Ezell then singled home CJ Matthews in the fourth to put the Lions ahead 8-6 before SBU tied the score with a pair of runs in the sixth. Southern would take the lead for good with five runs in the bottom of the sixth after Hernandez singled to lead off the inning and then scored an unearned tally after Cliff Wheeler reached on an error. Jeff Katchmar then drove in Wheeler with an RBI single before Gabe Wyatt capped the big inning with a three-run double. Jacob Garrison came on in relief of Lion starter Tyler Lipscomb to throw two scoreless innings to notch the win. Lipscomb pitched five innings and gave up six earned runs and struck out five. Wyatt was 2-4 with four RBI for the Lions in the opener. The nightcap started much like the first as the Bearcats (4-18, 2-12 MIAA) jumped ahead with two runs in the first on RBI singles from Chris Martinez and Kyle Griffin. After the Lions cut the lead to 2-1 with a tally in the third, the Bearcats took advantage of two Lion errors to plate two unearned runs as part of a three-run fifth inning to take a 5-1 lead. But the Lions exploded in the bottom half of the inning with eight runs to go ahead 9-5. The big inning featured a three-run double by Fernando Lugo and a two-run single from Matthews. SBU responded with one in the sixth to cut the lead to 9-6, but Katchmar singled home two runs in the bottom of the sixth in a three-run Lion inning as Southern took full command with a 12-6 advantage. MSSU starter Ryan Estes was the winning pitcher in the second game by going five innings and giving up three earned runs. Lugo was 3-4 with three RBI and three runs scored for Southern. The Lions will next play a four-game weekend series at Northwest Missouri State, beginning with a nine-inning outing at 1 p.m. on Friday (Apr. 4) in Maryville, Mo.
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