The 21st ranked Missouri Southern baseball team had a MIAA matchup series against Northeastern State University.

The Lions went to play two games at Warren Turner Field and one at Joe Becker Stadium. Southern went undefeated sweeping NSU.

The series began with neither team being able to score for the first half of the game.

 In the fourth inning junior Ryan Hunter would add a RBI to help freshman Dexter Swims score the go-ahead run. This would be the only run in the game, giving Southern the win 1-0. Junior Zach Parish struck out 16 batters and allowing just three hits.

Senior Mike Million went 2-for-4, Swims went 1-for-4, and senior Jon Leighton went 1-for-3 from the plate.

In game two of the series against NSU the Lions were able to run away with the game with a final of 7-4. MSSU and NSU would each earn a run in the first, then Southern returned two more runs in the second from a two-run homerun by senior Denver Coffee.

Into the fourth inning, Leighton went on a sacrifice fly to earn another run. NSU came back the next inning scoring three runs.

The score was tied 4-4 when Million hit a home run, Coffee hit a RBI double, and a double-steal to add three runs to finish the game with another win.

Sophomore Zac Shoemaker struck out five, as sophomore River Wright, senior Joey Reeves, and senior Brennon Covington threw in relief.

For the final game in the series, NSU would score it’s only run in the beginning of the game.

The Lions scored two in the first, then in the third junior Troy Gagan hit a grand slam to bring the score up four runs.

Coffee also added a sacrifice fly to score Gagan. Senior Freddie Landers hit a RBI double, senior Alex Phillips added a RBI single, and Leighton hit a RBI double to earn three runs in the sixth. Gagan hit a final RBI single to close the game with a run rule 11-1.

Junior Will Bausinger went the entire game with 11 strikeouts and allowing three hits. Landers went perfect from the plate going 5-for-5 with 2 RBI’s. Gagan hit 3-for-5 with 5 RBI’s Leighton hit 3-for-3 with an RBI, and Million hit 1-for-2 at the plate.

“We played well against NSU all the way around. Zach Parish was great to lead our pitching. It was good to see Joey Reeves and Brennon Covington get some outs for us too. Freddie Landers had a great weekend at the plate as well,” said head coach Bryce Darnell.

The Lions then traveled to Springfield to play against Drury University. The Lions would lose the game 5-3 with Reeves getting the loss.

The Lion will play this weekend against Pittsburg State University for the final home games of the year. The series will start at 6 p.m., on Friday, April 26 and will continue at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 27 and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 28. All games will be played Warren Turner Field in Joplin.