FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2008

Southern baseball player passes away

Joplin, Mo. - Missouri Southern baseball player Danny Sickles, 20, (Orlando, Fla.) passed away suddenly in his home this evening. Cause of death is yet unknown. Monday and Tuesday's baseball games have also been cancelled.

Sickles, a 6'3, right handed pitcher, had been battling flu-like symptoms for the past few days. His roommates had attended the Missouri Southern basketball game earlier this afternoon and upon returning from the game, found Danny unresponsive in his bed.

Current Lion, Juan Hernandez, had known Danny since age seven when the two started playing baseball together. They continued to play up through high school when the duo both played on the same summer team. Juan was influential in getting Danny to transfer to Southern from Polk Community College in Florida. Danny is a graduate of Freedom High School in Orlando.

Sickles, an accounting major at Southern, played one season at Hillsborough Community College before transferring to Polk in 2007. He had appeared in two games this season for the Lions, striking out two in four plus innings of work.

"What we know right now is that Danny (Sickles), had been battling influenza for the past few days," said Southern Director of Athletics, Sallie Beard. "Our department will rally around this team and do whatever it takes to help them deal with the loss of their teammate."

"We are trying to deal with this difficult situation," said head coach Bryce Darnell. "Our team will lean on each other in dealing with the loss of Danny."

Further details will be released when more information becomes available.