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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joplin, Mo. - Zach Caldwell went 4-5 and drove in four runs to lead the Missouri Southern Lions to an 11-4 win over the No. 3-ranked and MIAA frontrunner Emporia State Hornets Friday night (Apr. 24) at Joe Becker Stadium. The victory is the Lions' first over the Hornets since 2005 and snaps a 14-game losing streak to ESU. The Hornets (38-7, 25-4 MIAA) grabbed the lead early with a pair of runs in the first on an RBI single by Kenny Burkhead and an RBI groundout from Marc Albers. The Lions answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning as Caldwell led off with a single and scored on a two-run homer by Jacob Taylor. After the Hornets quickly grabbed the lead back with two more runs in the second, Caldwell helped the Lions tie the score again with a two-run single that made it 4-4. That's when Lion starter CJ Maffei really settled in as he retired the next nine Hornets in order and allowed only one hit over his next six innings of work. Maffei received plenty of help from his offense as the Lions continued to pound away and scored another two runs in the third as Trent Owens smashed a two-run double. Caldwell made it a three-run game with a solo homer in the fourth and the Lions (30-15, 20-9 MIAA) added another in the sixth to go up 8-4. The Lions then closed the door with a three-run seventh inning as Caldwell continued his onslaught with an RBI double. Skyler Rawlins also drove in a run with an RBI single and Derek Ezell plated another with an infield single. Maffei struck out eight over eight innings and gave up only three earned runs. Ryan Verfurth finished the game by working a scoreless ninth. Caldwell finished a triple short of hitting for the cycle, with a homer, two doubles and a single. The Lions and Hornets will continue the four-game series with a seven-inning doubleheader tomorrow (Apr. 25) beginning at 1 p.m. |