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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joplin, Mo. - The Fort Hays State Tigers scored 40 runs in the combined two games to sweep the Missouri Southern Lions in a pair of seven inning outings Friday afternoon (Mar. 21) at Joe Becker Stadium. Game scores were 16-1 and 24-11. The nightcap started promising for the Lions when they answered a two-run Hays first with a five spot in the bottom of the first. After Juan Hernandez and C.J. Matthews singled to lead off the inning, Cliff Wheeler came up and drilled a three-run homer into right center. Matt Mantle also had an RBI triple in the inning for the Lions. But it was all downhill from there as the Tigers responded with eight runs in the second and seven each in the third and fourth innings. Brett Becker hit a two-run triple and Dusty Washburn had a two-run homer in the eight-run second before Greg Bieker capped the inning with a three-run double. Four of the eight runs were unearned in the inning. Tyler Robbins hit a two-run double in the third for Hays and the Tigers benefited from three Lion errors to tally six unearned runs in the seven-run fourth inning. The Lions (5-16, 3-4 MIAA) tried to hang in with with a two-run fifth inning that included RBI walks by Kenny Hart and Scott Klassen. Southern then added three more in the bottom of the seventh inning that featured run-scoring singles from Klassen and Eric Clark and also a fielder's choice RBI from Matt Imrie. Austin Lawrence got the loss by pitching 1 1/3 innings and allowing six earned runs. FHSU starter Jordan Randa failed to record an out and allowed five runs. James Simpson came on in relief of Randa and got the win by lasting four innings and allowing two earned runs. The Tigers (6-13, 3-4 MIAA) took control of the opening game early with a three-run first and five runs each in the next two innings. Ryan Majercik got the Tigers on the board with an RBI single and scored on a two-run single by Chase Schippers that made it 3-0 Tigers. Majercik then came through again in the second inning with a two-run single and then Robbins put the Tigers ahead 8-0 with a two-run double that scored Majercik and Washburn. Becker, Robbins and Schippers each had RBI doubles to spark the five-run third inning for Hays. The Tigers added three more in the fifth thanks to an error that gave the Tigers two unearned tallies. Fernando Lugo made sure the Lions would not be shutout by hitting a two-out solo homer to right field in the bottom of the seventh. Scotty Roberson was the losing pitcher in the first game after pitching 1 1/3 innings and giving up five runs on four hits. Donnie Moore got the win for the Tigers by pitching five innings and gave up only two hits and no runs. Lugo was a combined 3-4 in the two games for the Lions, with the homer and two runs scored. The Lions and Tigers will conclude the four-game series with a single, nine-inning game tomorrow (Mar. 22) at noon.
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