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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joplin, Mo. - Matt Mantle pitched eight innings and gave up only one earned run and got plenty of offensive support as the Missouri Southern Lions defeated the Fort Hays State Tigers 14-4 in the finale of a four-game series Saturday afternoon (Mar. 22) at Joe Becker Stadium. The Lions led 11-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Gabe Wyatt nailed a three-run double down the left field line that scored three to put the Lions up by 10 runs and ended the game due to the 10-run rule. Southern scored seven runs altogether in the seventh inning that also included a two-run single by Cliff Wheeler and run-scoring singles from Juan Hernandez and Derek Ezell. The seven-run inning broke open a 7-4 Lion lead. Wyatt started the scoring for the Lions (6-16, 4-4 MIAA) in the second inning by drawing a bases-loaded RBI walk after the first three Lions reached to begin the inning. Skyler Rawlins also had a sacrifice fly inning as the Lions scored four unearned runs thanks to a pair of Tiger errors. The Lions then went up 5-0 when Hernandez singled home Alec French in the fourth inning after French earlier reached on a fielder's choice. Mantle held the Tigers scoreless through the first four innings before Hays (6-14, 3-5 MIAA) fought back in the fifth by taking advantage of two Lion miscues in the inning to score three unearned runs that made it 5-3. Brent Biggs and Ryan Majercik had RBI singles in the inning for the Tigers. Fernando Lugo put the Lions up 6-3 by doubling in Kenny Hart in the bottom of the sixth and then Hernandez singled home Wyatt to put the Lions ahead 7-3 after six innings. The Tigers scored one in the seventh on a single by Tyler Robbins that scored Biggs that cut the lead to 7-4. Mantle improved to 1-2 on the season with the victory while striking out two. Wyatt led the Lions with four RBI, while Hernandez went 3-4 and drove in three runs. Biggs went 3-4 for the Tigers and drove in one run. Hays starter Matt Augustine took the loss after going five innings and allowing six runs but only one earned. The Lions will next play a four-game series at Washburn that will begin on Friday night (Mar. 28) with a nine-inning game at 5 p.m. in Topeka, Kan.
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