FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 20, 2008

Ezell's huge day lifts Lions to sweep of Truman

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

Kirksville, Mo. - Derek Ezell continued his hot hitting as of late with two homers and four RBIs in game one, and backed that up with a double and four RBIs in game two as the Missouri Southern baseball team swept a double-header at Truman today, winning 14-9 and 11-6.

Southern (17-25, 15-13 MIAA) now moves into a tie with Missouri Western for fourth place in the MIAA. The top four teams advance to the conference tournament played at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City.

The Lions started the scoring with a run in the second on a Skyler Rawlins RBI double and added two more in the third on the first of Ezell's two homers in the game.

Truman (5-32, 4-22 MIAA) answered back with three in the third and one in the fourth to go up 4-3 after four innings.

The Lions would surge ahead in the fifth with Ezell's second two run homer and blew the game open in the sixth when they scored seven runs in the inning. All seven runs would be unearned, but the highlight of the inning was a Jeff Katchmar grand slam. Southern added two more in the seventh on a Fernando Lugo home run.

Southern had homers from Ezell (2), Lugo and Katchmar in the game. Ezell was 3-4 with four RBIs and four runs scored, including a double. Katchmar had a double and a grand slam, driving in four, while Rawlings drove in one and scored once. Alec French was 2-4 with two RBIs. Tyler Lipscomb started game one and went the distance, striking out two, while walking just one to earn his third complete game of the season.

The Lions stole eight bases in game two and got seven solid innings from Ryan Verfurth on the mound to take the nightcap. Trailing 3-0 after two innings, Southern broke open the game with six runs in the third. Ezell had a bases clearing double to start the scoring and Lugo homered behind him. Rawlins added an RBI double in the inning, as well.

Truman added a run in the seventh to get within two, but the Lions scored five over the eighth and ninth innings to put away the game.

Ezell drove in four more in game two and scored once to power the Southern offense. Lugo added a homer and drove in three, while Juan Hernandez went 4-6 with a run. Drew Jenkins and Jacob Garrison pitched the final two innings in relief of Verfurth. Verfurth struck out five and allowed just two earned runs.

The Lions will now head back out on the road for a non-conference mid-week double-header at Missouri S&T beginning at noon on April 23.