Southern stays alive in MIAA Tourney

Kevin Humphrey pitched a complete game with only two runs allowed to lead the Missouri Southern Lions to a 6-2 win over the Fort Hays State Tigers in MIAA Tournament action Saturday afternoon at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.  With the victory, the Lions stay alive in the tournament.

After allowing the Tigers (31-22) two runs on two hits in the first inning, Humphrey blanked the Tigers over the final eight frames on only three hits.

A sacrifice fly by Sloan Soulia and an RBI single from Kyle Stacken accounted for the Tigers’ only runs of the game.

Skyler Rawlins (Seneca) homered in the bottom of the first that cut the Tigers’ lead in half and made it 2-1.
Rawlins then scored the tying run on an RBI double by Joe Lincoln in the bottom of the third.

It remained 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth when Shayne Hoke led off with a single, advanced to second on a single by Patrick Deao and scored the go-ahead run on an error by the rightfielder.

The Lions (28-25) added three valuable insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth as CJ Matthews (Crowder) led off the inning with a single and scored the fourth run on a run-scoring single by Deao.  Rawlins and Jacob Taylor also hit RBI singles in the inning that gave the Lions a four-run cushion.

Humphrey struck out five and walked only one in his nine innings of work.

Deao went 3-of-4 with one RBI for the Lions, while Rawlins was 2-of-3 with two RBI.

Lions beat Northwest Missouri Friday
The Missouri Southern Lions stayed alive in the MIAA Postseason Tournament by knocking off the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats 10-3 Friday morning at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. 

The Lions fell behind early as Brandon Kirsch homered in the bottom of the first for a  1-0 Bearcat advantage.
Southern fought back with a pair of runs in the second as Shayne Hoke singled to lead off the inning and Matthews doubled with one out.  That was followed by a two-run single by Patrick Deao that put the Lions on top 2-1.

Hoke then extended the lead to two runs with a solo homer in the third inning.
After Kirsch again came through for the Bearcats with an RBI single in the bottom of the third, the Lions (27-25) added an unearned run tally in the fourth and another run in the fifth for a three-run lead.
Taylor led off the fifth with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.

The Bearcats (20-34) scored in the bottom of the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to Trevor Connor to claw within two runs, but the Lions pulled away with a four-run seventh inning.
Michael Zurmehly drove in the first run of the inning by reaching on a fielder’s choice before the flood gates opened.  Matthews, Deao and Dane Kolmeyer then came up and hit three consecutive RBI singles that extended the Lions’ lead to 9-3.

Zurmehly hit his 13th homer of the season in the ninth inning to round out the scoring for the Lions.

CJ Maffei came on in relief of starter Carter Lance and pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out four.

Tyler Jinks held the Bearcats hitless over the final 1 2/3 innings.  Lance lasted four innings and allowed three runs with three strikeouts.

Deao paced the Lions at the plate by going 3-of-5 with three RBI.