JOPLIN, Mo. — Freddie Landers went a perfect 5-for-5 in the game as the No. 21 ranked Missouri Southern baseball team completed the sweep and defeated Northeastern State 11-1 today at Warren Turner Field.
Landers helped the Lions (29-13, 20-7 MIAA) power past the RiverHawks (11-31, 8-19 MIAA) to complete the sweep and stay a game in front of Central Missouri in the MIAA standings.
Landers had five hits on the day, including three doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs. Troy Gagan went 3-for-5 with a grand slam, five RBIs and two runs scored in the game, while Jon Leighton was 3-for-3 with an RBI. Mike Million had three runs scored, while Alex Phillips had an RBI and two runs scored. Denver Coffee had an RBI, while Dexter Swims scored a run.
Will Bausinger started and went all seven innings, holding the RiverHawks in check. After allowing three hits in the first inning, Bausinger clamped down and allowed just one hit in the final six innings, striking out 11 in the process to move to 5-2 on the season.
NSU got a run in the top of the first, but it was all Lions after that. Landers doubled home Swims to start the scoring and then scored when Phillips was out attempting a double-steal.
Gagan had a grand slam in the third to break the game open and make the score 6-1 after three, while Coffee added a sacrifice fly to score Gagan in the fifth to make the score 7-1.
The Lions got three runs in the sixth with Landers starting things off with an RBI double to score Million. Phillips singled home Landers, while Leighton dobuled home Phillips.
Gagan added another RBI in the seventh, scoring Million with the run-rule forcing score.
The Lions will be back in action on April 23 when Southern travels to Drury University for a 6 pm game with the Panthers.
