The 18th-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team got a pair of wins today against Emporia State as the Lions swept a double-header from the Hornets at Warren Turner Field.
Southern (8-0, 2-0 MIAA) got a win in game one from Zach Parish and another win in the finale from Zac Shoemaker. Cole Woods picked up the save in Game 1, while Chase Beiter got the save in game two.
In the opener, the Lions scored single runs in each of the second, fourth and fifth innings. Troy Gagan started it, picking up a run on a wild pitch in the second, and Gagan singled home Tommy Stevenson in the fourth to make it 2-0. Jordan Fitzpatrick then doubled home Henry Kusiak in the fifth for the final tally.
Parish went eight and a third innings, striking out 13 and walking just one, while scattering five hits. Woods finished up the shutout with a pair of strikeouts to the only two batters he faced.
Gagan went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Kusiak, Fitzpatrick, Stevenson and Clay Milas had a hit each.
Game 2 saw Emporia State (2-4, 0-2 MIAA) score first with a run in the opening frame. Gagan, however, answered with a home run in the second to tie it up. The Hornets went up 2-1 in the third, but the Lions got an RBI single from Milas to score Gagan in the fourth to tie it again. After ESU went ahead in the fifth, 3-2, the Lions picked up two runs in the sixth to put the game away. Gagan scored on a balk and Milas scored on a sacrifice fly from Matt Miller
Shoemaker started and went seven and a third, striking out six to pick up the win. Beiter threw the final inning and two thirds, striking out three to pick up the save.
Gagan had three runs in the game, while Kusiak and Milas had a pair of hits each.
The two teams will be back at it tomorrow with the finale being played at 1 pm.
