MSSU throwers compete at University of Texas track meet

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Arlington, Texas -- The Missouri Southern men's and women's track and field teams had six athletes open up the Outdoor season at the Bobby Lane Invitational hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington.

Katie Skelton started things off with a fifth-place finish in the hammer throw with a heave of 152-05.

Bryan Burns competed in the hammer and placed second with a provisional throw of 188-11, while Junior Josephwas third with a provisional toss of 185-00. Josh Fulmerplaced fifth, while Trace Henault was eighth.

Garrett Austin was third in the javelin with a distance of 180-09.

The Lions will conclude the meet tomorrow starting at 9:30 am.

Late home run lifts Emporia State past Missouri Southern

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 20th-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team led 4-2 going into the 7th inning, but four late runs by the visiting Emporia State Hornets lifted ESU over the Lions 6-4 tonight at Warren Turner Field.

The Lions (17-8, 5-6 MIAA) got a pair of home runs from Johnny Balsamo as the lefty led off the game with a bomb and hit another, this time a two-run shot, in the second. Balsamo was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Danny Biggs and Denver Coffee had three hits each, while Coffee scored a run. Alex Phillips went 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Cory Canterbury had a hit and a run scored.

Corbin Osburn started and pitched into the eighth, going 7.1 innings and striking out two, while allowing four runs. Logan VanWey pitched an inning and gave up two runs, while striking out two and walking none to move his record to 1-1 on the season. Cam Bednar struck out a batter in two thirds of an inning pitched.

ESU (14-10, 5-6 MIAA) got a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored from Trevor Turner.

The Lions started the scoring with a lead-off home run from Balsamo in the first. After ESU got two runs in the top of the second, the Lions answered with three in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, Coffee singled, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Balsamo then hit his second homer of the day to put the Lions up 3-2. Canterbury then doubled before an RBI single from Phillips scored him to put the Lions up 4-2 after two.

ESU scored two runs in the seventh to tie it up and Turner's homer in the ninth proved to be the game-winner.

The two teams will be back at it tomorrow afternoon with a 1 pm first-pitch.

MSSU softball drops doubleheader to Pitt State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Pittsburg, Kan. - The Missouri Southern softball squad fell to rival Pittsburg State, 11-6 in game one and then a 9-1 loss in game two to wrap up the first part of the home-and-home series at the PSU Softball Complex Friday afternoon.

Game One
MSSU (12-20, 1-7 MIAA) got on the board first in the second inning as shortstop Shelby Friend launched a two-run shot to right field to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. Then after loading the bases, Abi Corbett reached a on fielder's choice which scored a third run to conclude the stretch.

The Lions put three more runs across the plate in the fifth to increase their advantage to six. Suddenly in the bottom of the sixth, PSU (13-20, 3-3 MIAA) rallied in 11 runs to take its first lead of the game and secure the comeback victory in the seventh.

Friend went a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate and knocked in two runs, while scoring another. Third baseman Ashley Caldarella, designated play Emily Harris, and second baseman Lexi Ferrari each came away with two hits and combined for two runs scored in the loss.

Freshman pitcher Natalie Hamm threw five innings of shutout ball and struck out five before allowing four runs in the sixth.

Game Two
The Gorillas struck first in game two after a solo home run by Kala Holder to take a 1-0 lead into the second. Holder knocked in two more runs on her second homer of the game in the third.

As a team, PSU added two more long-balls in the shape of a pair of three-run homers to extend the lead to 9-0.

MSSU added a run in the fifth on a double by Friend, but was not enough as Southern fell 9-1 to conclude the first part of home-and-home series.

Lions' outfielder Emily Windsor went 3-for-3 with two doubles, while Friend continued her hot-streak at the plate for two doubles as well, and an RBI.