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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joplin, Mo. - Eighth ranked Grand Valley State scored three runs in the top of the ninth and escaped with a 9-8 win over Missouri Southern today at Joe Becker Stadium. Southern (1-8) fell behind 2-0 after the top of the third, but a three run bottom half of the inning gave the Lions a 3-2 lead. Skyler Rawlins reached on an error to start the inning and later stole second. Cliff Wheeler reached on an infield hit, putting Rawlins at third. Rawlins would later score on a wild pitch and Wheeler moved to third after a Matt Mantle single. Wheeler then scored on a Kenny Hart RBI single. Both Mantle and Hart moved up to second and third after a sacrifice bunt from CJ Matthews and Mantle came home on another wild pitch. The Lions busted out for five more runs in the fourth. Rawlins sacrificed over runners to second and third, and Wheeler came up with his second infield hit of the day, scoring Juan Hernandez. Wheeler stole second and Mantle followed that up with a double to right center scoring both Wheeler and Scott Klassen. The Lions tacked on two more runs off of errors in the inning to lead 8-2 after four. Grand Valley (6-1) scored a run in the fifth, before plating three more in the seventh to cut the lead to 8-6. With one out in the ninth, the Lakers had back-to-back singles to put runners at first and second. A fly out would leave runners at the corners and two outs in the inning. After a fielder's indifference put runners at second and third, centerfielder Pat Radde came through with a single up the middle to plate the tying and go ahead runs. Gabe Wyatt doubled in the ninth for Southern, but the Lions couldn't plate the run. Scotty Roberson pitched six and two thirds of an inning today and left with a no-decision. Wheeler had two hits, a run and an RBI, while Mantle drove in two, scored twice and added two hits. The Grand Valley bullpen pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless relief. Both teams will be back in action tomorrow with a single nine-inning game beginning at 2 pm. |