FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 19, 2008

Lions split conference series at Truman

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

Kirksville, Mo. - Derek Ezell slugged two homers and Fernando Lugo drove in four, but the Lions could only manage a split with Truman today, losing the opener, 9-1 and taking the nightcap, 9-3.

With the split, the Lions improve to 15-25 and 13-13 in the MIAA, while Truman moves to 5-30 and 4-20 in league play.

In game one, Truman got out to an early lead, with a 5-0 advantage after three.

A home run from Derek Ezell in the third cut the lead to four, but the Bulldogs scored once in the fourth, twice in the fifth and once again in the sixth to put away the game.

Matt Mantle started and went four and a third, giving up six earned. Jeremy Bland pitched an inning and a third and struck out three, while walking none. Ezell had one of the two hits in the game that Truman pitchers gave up. CJ Matthews had the other.

The Lions evened the score, however and won game two, 9-3. Southern scored a single run in the first, third and the fourth, before breaking out for three runs in the fifth. Fernando Lugo had an RBI single in the first and an RBI double in the third, before Skyler Rawlins hit a solo shot in the fourth.

In the fifth, Ezell reached after being hit by a pitch and moved to second after a Scott Klassen single. The two runners moved up on a wild pitch, before Lugo tripled both home. Matt Imrie then singled to center to score Lugo. The Lions added a Matthews RBI single and an Ezell homer in the eighth and an Eric Clark sacrifice fly in the ninth.

Scotty Roberson started and pitched six and two thirds scattering nine hits, while allowing just two earned and striking out four. Jacob Garrison pitched the final two and a third and struck out one.

Lugo went 3-5 with four RBIs and a run, while Juan Hernandez, Ezell, Klassen, and Rawlins all had two hits each in the game.

The two teams will face off in a double-header tomorrow starting at noon.