The 11th-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team will be back in action this weekend as the Lions travel to Emporia State to take on the Hornets in MIAA play.
The Lions (21-7, 12-3 MIAA) lead the MIAA by a game over the Hornets (17-9, 11-4 MIAA) and next weekend's opponent Central Missouri (18-9, 10-5 MIAA). Games will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with the weekend games starting at 3 pm each day and Monday's finale starting at 1 pm.
Southern leads the conference in walks, doubles, doubles per game, home runs, home runs per game, strikeout to walk ratio, triples, triples per game and fewest walks allowed per game. The team ranks 15th nationally in walks, doubles and triples, while ranking ninth in strikeout to walk ratio and 11th in strikeouts per nine innings.
Individually, Davin Gummere ranks third nationally in walks and walks per game, while Zach Parish and Will Bausinger rank fourth and eighth, respectively in strikeouts. Cam Bednar ranks fourth nationally in appearances, while ranking 10th in saves. Bausinger is 14th in WHIP (walks and hits/innings pitched), while Parish is 19th in strikeouts per nine innings. Calem Nutting ranks 21st in triples, while Freddie Landers ranks 26th in hit by pitch.
The Lions have hit 31 home runs this year and the Southern pitchers have struck out 303 batters, while limiting hitters to a .237 batting average. The single-season MSSU record for strikeouts was set last year at 422, and the Lions are more than 2/3 of the way there with 32 games left in the regular season.
ESU comes into the game with the Lions having won eight of its last nine games. The Hornets are hitting .263 as a team and have a 4.70 team ERA. Paul Classen (.363) is one of four Hornets hitting over .300, while Jake Barton (3-1, 2.68 ERA) and Tanner Cairns (3-1, 2.58 ERA) lead the pitching staff.
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