FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2009

Groom's three-hitter helps Lions to split at Washburn

Game one box | Game Two Box

Topeka, Kan. - Garrett Groom carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of a complete game gem to lead to the Missouri Southern Lions to a 4-1 win over the Washburn Ichabods in the nightcap of a doubleheader Friday (Apr. 3) in Topeka, Kan. The Ichabods defeated the Lions in the opener, 5-2.

After hitting the lead-off batter in the first, Groom retired 18 of the next 20 hitters he faced, giving up only two walks.

The Lions took the lead in the second when Derek Ezell led off with a single and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Kenny Hart.

Southern added another run in the third as an RBI single by Juan Hernandez plated Ezell for a 2-0 lead.

The Lions made it three straight innings with a score when Jacob Taylor chased home Lee Hall with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to go up by three runs.

Groom's only trouble came in the seventh when Washburn scored their lone tally on consecutive doubles from Brett Sorensen and Dane Simoneau to come within 3-1.

The Lions tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI triple by Ezell that scored Skyler Rawlins.

Groom surrendered only three hits and struck out nine.

Ezell and Hernandez each went 3-5 with a run scored for the Lions.

The Ichabods (14-14, 8-8 MIAA) jumped on top in the opener with a run in the first as Travis Ice hit a lead-off single and scored on an RBI groundout by Sorensen.

The Lions (19-13, 11-7 MIAA) managed to tie the score in the fourth on a double by Ezell and then a run-scoring single from Hernandez.

Sorensen helped the Ichabods regain the lead in the bottom of the inning by leading off with a single and then scoring on an RBI double by Simoneau for a 2-1 lead.

Wes Joy singled home another run in the fifth before scoring the Ichabods' fourth run of the game as Sorensen reached on an error that put Washburn up by three runs.

Ryan Verfurth received the loss in the first game after lasting five innings and giving up three earned runs on five hits.

WU starter Curtis Hamilton got the win by throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing only one run and also giving up five hits.

The Lions and Ichabods will conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon (Apr. 4) beginning at noon.