JOPLIN, Mo. — The 25th-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team had a thrilling come-from-behind victory in game one, but was on the wrong side of a pitcher’s duel in game two as the Lions split a double-header with Missouri Western, winning 5-4, but falling 1-0.
The Lions (11-4, 4-1 MIAA) got strong pitching all day as Zach Parish started in game one and went seven innings with nine strikeouts and just two walks, allowing only three hits and two earned runs. Parish picked up a no-decision, while Bradly Hershey got the win in relief, moving to 2-0 on the season.
The Lions started the scoring in the second inning with an RBI walk from Davin Gummere, scoring Mike Million.
Western scored four unanswered runs, before the Lions returned the favor. Southern got two runs in the eighth as Million doubled home Dexter Swims and Ryan Hunter singled home Matt Miller to get the Lions within a run (4-3).
The Lions then picked up a pair of runs in the ninth as Swims singled home Gummere and Denver Coffee got the walk-off hit, scoring Freddie Landers.
Swims and Coffee had two hits each in the game, while Gummere, Landers, Phillips, Miller, Million, Hunter and Dan Lenz had a hit each. Gummere, Landers, Swims, Miller and Million scored.
Game two saw a pitching duel as Western (6-6, 4-1 MIAA) starter Anthony Castaneda went the distance, limiting the Lions to three hits.
Zac Shoemaker got the hard-luck loss as he went seven innings, scattering four hits and allowing just one run. Hershey threw two scoreless innings in relief.
Coffee, Miller and Hunter had a hit each in the game.
The two teams will be back in action tomorrow for the series finale. First pitch from Warren Turner Field is slated for 11 am.
