JOPLIN, Mo. — Missouri Southern junior righty Will Bausinger became first Lion ever to throw a perfect game and the Lions swept the opening day of the 2019 MIAA/GLVC Challenge on Warren Turner Field.
The Lions (5-3) took out Rockhurst (0-2) in the opener, 13-3 in eight innings, while Bausinger helped the Lions to blank Washburn (4-4) in the nightcap, 9-0.
Bausinger became the ninth Lion to throw a no-hitter in program history and the first since Sean Goostree in 2015 when he no-hit Pittsburg State. He threw 122 pitches, 89 of which were strikes, and struck out 17 batters, which is the second-most in a single-game at MSSU.
The Lions started the scoring in game two with four runs in the first on a grand slam from Alex Phillips. Ryan Hunter added a home run in the fourth to put the Lions up 5-0, while Davin Gummere drove home Jon Leighton with a double in the sixth.
Southern added three runs in the eighth. Leighton started things off with an RBI triple and Freddie Landers drove home Leighton with a sacrifice fly. Southern then pulled off a double-steal with Gummere stealing home and Denver Coffee stealing second.
Phillips had four RBIs in the game, while Gummere and Leighton scored two runs each. Leighton and Hunter had two hits each.
Game one saw the Lions jump out to a 3-1 lead and then score seven runs in the final two innings to run-rule Rockhurst.
Brennon Covington started and went five innings, striking out eight and walking just one and moved his record to 2-0 on the season. River Wright threw two innings of relief and Logan VanWey struck out two in a perfect inning of relief.
Phillips went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored in the game, including a double. Dexter Swims had two runs, two RBIs and a home run, while Coffee scored three times. Troy Gagan scored twice, while Landers and Kaleb Baker drove in two each. Gummere and Mike Million had RBIs, as well.
The Lions will be back at it tomorrow as Southern will take on Missouri – St. Louis at 10 am and Northwest Missouri at 4 pm.
