MSSU 2023 football schedule released

(From Missouri Southern Athletics)

Missouri Southern's football schedule has been set for the 2023 season. The Lions will host 6 games at Fred G. Hughes Stadium and will make 5 road trips this fall.

Southern's 11 contests feature familiar foes, as all are members of the MIAA. Lincoln announced their departure from the conference in January, following the 2023-24 season.

Last season, the Lions handed losses to Northeastern State, Central Oklahoma, Fort Hays State, and Lincoln. Three of MSSU's losses were within 4 points, as the Lions fell to Central Missouri in Warrensburg 20-17, Emporia State who was receiving votes in the national poll 24-21, and Missouri Western in St. Joseph 31-27.

Southern's home slate features Northwest Missouri State (Aug. 31), Northeastern State (Sept. 23), Fort Hays State (Homecoming, Oct. 7), Pittsburg State (Oct. 14), Central Missouri (Oct. 28), and Missouri Western (Nov. 11).

Their road schedule includes Washburn (Sept. 7), Nebraska Kearney (Sept. 16), Central Oklahoma (Sept. 30), Lincoln (Oct. 21), and Emporia State (Nov. 4).

DeSanto named MIAA Hitter of the Week

(From Missouri Southern Athletics)

Missouri Southern sophomore infielder Abby DeSanto was announced as the MIAA Hitter of the Week by the conference office on Monday Mar. 27th.

DeSanto helped the Lions to MIAA sweeps over Northeastern State and No. 2 Rogers State at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex. She had an historic game at the plate in the 15-9 win over NSU in game two to claim the sweep over the RiverHawks going 3-for-3 with three home runs, four runs scored and seven RBI to tie the program record for home runs in a game and tied for the second most RBIs in a game. 

The sophomore from North Richland Hills, Texas was just a grand slam short of completing the home run cycle with a two-run shot in the second inning, solo and a three-run homer in the fifth. For the week, DeSanto hit .333 with a 1.083 slugging percentage and eight RBI.

Southern and DeSanto will be back in action on Friday Mar. 31st in Kearney, Neb. to play the Nebraska - Kearney Lopers in a double header beginning at 2:00pm from Patriot Park. Following the game against the Lopers it will be a Saturday Apr. 1st double header at Fort Hays State in Hays, Kan. beginning at 12:00pm from Fleharty Family Field to conclude the weekend.

MSSU Baseball completes sweep over Emporia State

(From Missouri Southern Athletics)

The seventh ranked Lions completed the sweep of Emporia State on Sunday Mar. 26th at Warren Turner Field in a 1-0 pitchers duel.

The Lions (23-7, 13-3 MIAA) were led by Kyle Moore with two strikeouts in five innings of shutout ball from the bullpen with Owen Schneider getting the no decision after four shutout innings and two strikeouts. Chayton Beck scored the lone run of the game and Nate Mieszkowski picked up the RBI.








Southern and Emporia State (11-19, 6-10 MIAA) would get runners in scoring positions in the first two innings with both teams able to get a runner on third as the Lions walked into a bases loaded situation but couldn't score a run with an inning ending fielders choice. In the fifth inning the Lions would get a run thanks to a Beck single and two errors by the Hornets advancing him to third and a Mieszkowski sacrifice fly to center field allowed Beck to score, breaking the deadlock.

Emporia State got a hit to begin the eighth inning but a Mieszkowski-to-Henry Kusiak-to-Matt Miller double play at first base halting the Hornets advance, Moore would induce a fly ball to Tyler Ferguson in left field to preserved the one run lead. In the ninth Ferguson swapped left for right field as Moore sent the Hornets down in order thanks to fly outs to center and right field and a groundout to Kusiak at shortstop.

In the series against Emporia State the Lions only allowed one run in 23 innings (0.39 ERA) striking out 22 (7.3 per game) and held the visitors to a .141 batting average. Offensively the Lions scored 27 runs (9.0 per game) with 30 hits (10.0 per game) and four home runs for a weekend average of .353.

Up next for the team will be a busy week beginning with a midweek MIAA game against Rogers State in Claremore, Okla. from the Diamond Sports Complex on Mar. 28th at 2:00pm. Following the game against the Hillcats the Lions will return home for an early season makeup game against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Wednesday Mar. 29th at 2:00pm from Warren Turner Field. After the game against the Bulldogs it will be a three game MIAA series against Fort Hays State in Hays, Kan. at Larks Park beginning on Mar. 31st at 1:00pm.