FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 28, 2009

Lions' pitching stifles Bearcats in doubleheader sweep

Game 1 Box  Game 2 Box

Joplin, Mo. -  The Missouri Southern Lions' pitching staff shutout the Southwest Baptist (8-38, 6-28 MIAA) twice to sweep the MIAA regular season doubleheader finale Tuesday evening (Apr. 28) at Joe Becker Stadium.  The Lions (34-16, 24-10 MIAA) won a pitching duel 1-0 in the opener, then routed the Bearcats 9-0 in the nightcap.The Lions have already qualified for the MIAA Postseason Tournament beginning on Mar. 8 in Kansas City, Kan. and will now wait to see where they will be seeded.

The Lions scored all the runs they needed in the opener when Zach Caldwell led off with an infield single, stole second and scored on an RBI groundout by Skyler Rawlins.

That's all the run support senior starting pitcher Ryan Verfurth (4-4) would need starting his final game in front of the home crowd.  Verfurth pitched all seven innings and gave up only two hits with four strikeouts. 

SBU starter Wes Burrell was also solid, allowing only one run on two hits and also striking out four.

The nightcap featured much more offense on the Lions' part as Kenny Hart and Caldwell hit consecutive singles with two outs in the third before Skyler Rawlins reached on an error to load the bases.  Jacob Taylor then singled in both Hart and Caldwell for the first two runs of the game.

The Lions staged another two-out rally in the fourth that started when Justin Beal reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead. Zach Caldwell made it a five-run lead with a two-run double before eventually stealing second and scoring the sixth run of the game on an error.

Southern wasn't through and plated three more runs in the sixth when Trent Owens tripled with one out and scored on an RBI single by Hart.  Caldwell then walked and a passed ball put the runners at second and third.  Taylor then brought both runners home with a run-scoring single that put the Lions comfortably ahead 9-0.

Making only his second start of the season, Kevin Humphrey got the win by pitching five innings with no runs allowed on three hits.

Taylor sparked the Lions' offensive attack in the second game by going 2-4 with four RBI.

The Lions will conclude the regular season with three games at Rockhurst, beginning with a nine-inning game on Friday afternoon (May 1) at 3 p.m. in  Kansas City, Mo.