FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2009

Lions take final two in double-header sweep of Washburn

Game one box | Game Two Box

Topeka, Kan. - Carter Lance and CJ Maffei allowed only run each in two solid performances on the mound to lead the Missouri Southern Lions to a doubleheader sweep of the Washburn Ichabods Saturday afternoon (Apr. 4) in Topeka, Kan. The Lions routed the Ichabods 10-1 in the first game, then won the nightcap 6-1. The sweep gives the Lions the series over Washburn three games to one.

The opener was scoreless through three innings before the Lions poured it on with eight runs in the fourth.

Derek Ezell got everything started with a lead-off single and then scored on a two-run double by Trent Owens. After Kenny Hart was hit by a pitch, Shayne Hoke came up and delivered another two-run double to put the Lions up 4-0.

Jacob Taylor singled home Owens for the Lions fifth run of the inning before Ezell batted again and delivered the Lions' third two-run double of the inning to make it a 7-0 game. Juan Hernandez capped everything by bringing home Ezell with an RBI single for an 8-0 Lion lead.

Hernandez continued the onslaught with a two-run single in the sixth for a 10-0 Southern advantage.

Washburn's lone tally came in the bottom of the sixth when Travis Ice led off with a single and scored on an RBI base hit by Brett Sorensen.

Lance was outstanding on the hill for the Lions in the opener, going the full seven innings and giving up only one run and striking out seven against only one walk.

The Lions (21-13, 13-7 MIAA) jumped on top in the first inning of the nightcap when Zach Caldwell led off by reaching on an infield single and scoring on an RBI double by Ezell.

The scored stay 1-0 in favor of the Lions until the bottom of the seventh, when Vicente Vieyra began the inning by reaching on an error for the Ichabods (14-16, 8-10 MIAA) and then scoring on an RBI single by Luis Beltran Lopez to even the score at 1-1.

Tyler Tuthill quickly put the Lions back on top with a two-out, three-run double that scored Justin Beal, Hernandez and Ezell in the eighth inning for a 4-1 Lion lead.

Ezell and Hernandez gave the Lions a pair of insurance runs with RBI singles in the ninth to make it a 6-1 margin.

Maffei was also magnificent in the second game for Southern, lasting eight innings and not allowing an earned run with three strikeouts.

The Lions will be back in action with a doubleheader at Southwest Baptist on Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 7) at 2 p.m. in Bolivar, Mo.