JOPLIN, Mo. — The 25th-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team got three hits each from Mike Million and Denver Coffee, but the Lions fell 5-4 today to Missouri Western on Warren Turner Field.
The Lions (11-5, 4-2 MIAA) got a 3-for-5 day from Million with an RBI, while Coffee was 3-for-5 with a run. Dexter Swims went 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Troy Gagan had a pinch-hit RBI. Freddie Landers, Matt Miller and Cole McBride all scored a run each.
Will Bausinger started and went 4.2 innings, striking out four and walking just one. River Wright, Cole Gacke, Logan VanWey, Joey Reeves, Austin DesRoche and Cam Bednar threw in relief.
The Griffons (7-6, 5-1 MIAA) got two hits each from Casey Danley and Zach Pych. Jacob Cooper picked up the win in relief.
Western scored three runs in the third to go up 3-0, but the Lions answered with a run in the fourth on an RBI from Million, scoring McBride. Southern added two more in the fifth on RBIs from Swims and Gagan, scoring Coffee and Landers.
The Griffons went ahead 5-3 in the 7th inning and the Lions threatened in the ninth, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Southern will be back in action this Tuesday with a non-conference game at Missouri S&T. First pitch is slated for 1 pm.
