FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2009

Lions bow out of 2009 MIAA Tournament with two tight games

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

Kansas City, Kan. -  The Missouri Southern baseball team lost both games today in the 2009 MIAA Baseball Tournament, falling 4-0 to Nebraska-Omaha and then 4-1 to Central Missouri in the nightcap, ending the Lions season at 35-20.

Southern (35-20) fell victim to a solid pitching performance in game one as UNO (39-18) starter Ben Percival held the Lions to two hits and struck out six. Lions starter Garrett Groom was equally impressive throwing just 99 pitches and scattering six hits, while allowing two earned runs. He struck out four and walked just one.

The Mavericks scored twice in the first and picked up a pair in the fifth.

Derek Ezell and Trent Owens had the hits for the Lions.

In game two, the Lions faced off with Central Missouri in an elimination game and the Mules scored two runs in the first, but Southern answered back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Zach Caldwell walked to lead off the inning and stole second. After two outs, Ezell singled up the middle to score Caldwell.

Both teams pitched extremely well for the rest of the game as Central starter Danny Potje threw five and a third and allowed one run on three hits. Lions starter Carter Lance threw seven innings and struck out three, while allowing just three hits. 2009 MIAA Pitcher of the Year Chris Matlock continued his consecutive scoreless streak as he threw three and two thirds innings of perfect relief, striking out six.

The Mules added two insurance runs in the ninth.

Caldwell, Ezell and Kenny Hart had the Lions hits. Caldwell scored a run, with Ezell providing the RBI.

The Lions finish the season 35-20 and had a 13.5 game improvement from a season ago. Southern placed eight Lions on the All-MIAA squad with Skyler Rawlins and CJ Maffei earning first-team nods.