FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mar. 15, 2008

Late Inning Heroics Lift Lions over Pitt State, 6-5

Box Score

Pittsburg, Kan. - Scott Klassen singled home Kenny Hart in the 12th inning to propel the Missouri Southern Lions to a 6-5 extra-innings win over the Pittsburg State Gorillas in the middle game of a four-game series Saturday afternoon (Mar. 15) in Pittsburg, Kan.

Hart led off the 12th with a walk and then advanced into scoring position on a groundout by starting pitcher Matt Mantle before scoring on the base hit by Klassen.

A.J. Loyd singled to lead off the PSU 12th, but Jeff Katchmar came on to pitch for the Lions and retired three consecutive Gorillas to earn the save and finish the win for the Lions (3-13, 1-1 MIAA).

The Lions started off quick by jumping ahead 5-0 with three runs in the second and two more in the third.

Hart singled to lead off the second inning and later scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch. Juan Hernandez then doubled home two runs to left field that scored Alec French and Skyler Rawlins to put Southern up 3-0.

Hart crossed the plate again in the Lions' third by reaching on a fielder's choice and then scoring on an RBI double by Mantle. Mantle then scored the fifth Lion run on a two-out single from Derek Ezell.

Mantle held the Gorillas (6-8, 1-1 MIAA) scoreless through the first five innings on only two hits before PSU broke through with two runs in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by Brian Dean and a run-scoring double by Brett Hothan.

The Lions carried a three-run lead into the eighth when Brock Hampton drew a lead-off walk and eventually scored on a single by Dean that cut the Lions lead to 5-3.

PSU then tied the score in the ninth after Dean singled home two runs off Lions' reliever Ryan Verfurth. The Gorillas had the bases loaded with only one out, but Verfurth got two consecutive pop-outs to end the threat and send the game into extra innings.

Hernandez went 3-5 for the Lions with two RBI, while Ezell was also 3-5 with one RBI.

Dean was 2-5 and drove in four runs for PSU.

Verfurth got the win by pitching 3 2/3 innings of relief and allowing two earned runs. Mantle lasted 7 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on five hits.

Darrel Dinger started the game for the Gorillas and allowed five runs in seven innings pitched. Mitch Cooper threw 3 1/3 innings of relief and was charged with the winning run in the 12th inning to receive the loss.

MSSU and PSU will conclude the four-game weekend series with a pair of seven-inning contests on Sunday (Mar. 16) beginning at 1 p.m.