Joplin, Mo. – The 19th ranked Missouri Southern baseball team got a walk-off home run in extra innings in game one and two home runs from Joe Kinder in game two as the Lions swept a pair of games in the opening day of the MIAA/GLVC Crossover at Warren Turner Field.
Southern defeated Missouri Western 4-2 in ten innings in the opener and then won 7-6 over Missouri S&T in the nightcap.
Game one was a pitcher’s duel as Zach Parish started and went seven innings, striking out 12 and allowing just one earned run. Chase Beiter came in for relief of Parish, but Cole Woods threw the final three innings, striking out six to get win number one on the season for him.
Western (1-1) got six innings from its starter Jacob Weirich as he struck out nine. Jacob Standridge threw three innings of relief and struck out six in relief, but was saddled with the loss.
The Lions were down 1-0 after three, but the Lions got a run back in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Henry Kusiak to score Matt Miller.
Western answered with a run in the eighth but the Lions tied it up at 2 in the ninth with an RBI double from Clay Milas to force extras.
In the extra frame, Kusiak started the inning with a double down the right field line. Stevenson worked a 2-2 count and then deposited the next pitch over the left field wall for a walk-off home run, his first of the season.
Miller finished with three hits and two runs scored, while Kusiak, Stevenson and Milas had a hit each.
The nightcap saw the Lions get a pair of home runs from Joe Kinder as Southern came-from-behind to defeat Missouri S&T 7-6.
Southern trailed 4-1 going to the bottom of the seventh, but the Lions got three runs in the inning on an RBI from Kusiak and a two-RBI double from Troy Gagan. The Lions scored three more in the eighth when Kinder hit his second home run to go ahead 5-4. Stevenson added an RBI double and Jordan Fitzpatrick picked up an RBI of his own, as well.
Zach Schoemaker started for the Lions and went five and two thirds, striking out seven. Corey Cowan and Scott Dueunsing threw in relief with Duensing picking up the win.
S&T (0-2) threatened late with a pair of runs in the ninth, but the Lions threw out what would be the tying run at the plate to end the game.
Source: https://mssulions.com/news/2021/2/22/baseball-no-19-lions-sweep-day-one-of-miaa-glvc-crossover
