EMPORIA, Kan. — The 11th-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team got a pair of home runs from Ryan Hunter, but nine early runs for Emporia State lifted the Hornets over the Lions 11-5 today in the series finale against the Hornets.
The Lions (23-8, 14-4 MIAA) were led offensively from Hunter’s big day as he went 2-for-3 with two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored. Dexter Swims went 3-for-5, while Freddie Landers, Matt Miller and Mike Million had a hit each. Landers had a home run, while Miller and Million scored a run each.
Will Bausinger started and allowed three earned runs, but fell to 4-2 on the season. River Wright, Cole Woods, Bradly Hershey, Austin DesRoche, Joey Reeves and Logan VanWey threw in relief.
ESU (18-11, 11-6 MIAA) had two hits from three different individuals, while Ryan Krolikowski drove in three.
The Hornets picked up three runs over the first two innings before Hunter’s first home run made it 3-1 going to the bottom of the third. ESU, however, scored six runs to go up 9-1 after three.
Hunter and Landers homered in the fourth and fifth innings to get the Lions back within four (9-5), but Southern couldn’t get any closer.
The Lions will be back in action this week as Southern plays host to No. 21 Central Missouri in a crucial MIAA matchup between two of the top three teams in the MIAA standings.
