After losing its last five conference games, the Missouri Southern baseball team finds itself on the bubble for the MIAA tournament.

The Lions’ last three losses came at the hands of Emporia State April 26 and-27. Those losses put Southern behind Missouri Western State College for the fourth and final tournament spot.

“We had a couple of close games that we came up short in, and in the third game, they just stuck it to us,” said coach Warren Turner.

In game one against Emporia, Southern tied the game with a single run in the ninth. But sophomore Evan Bates was unable to hold the lead in the bottom of the ninth and took the 7-6 loss.

Senior Nick Davis started the game and gave up six runs in five innings. Junior Ross Bailey added three innings of scoreless relief in the loss.

Offensively the Lions were led by junior Mark Catanzaro and senior Sean Ritchie, who both went two for four with one RBI. Junior Justin McMullen added three hits and an RBI.

Game two was another close one. The Lions went into the bottom of the seventh inning with a 5-4 lead, but again the bullpen lost the lead, giving up five runs to lose the game 9-5.

Game three on April 27 was a 12-2 blowout of the Lions. Lions pitchers combined to allow 11 earned runs in 7.3 innings.

The Lions were led offensively by junior Zack Bronson with four hits and senior Mark Keister with two hits. The only scoring for the Lions came on a two-run home run by freshman Nathan Copher.

“We made it tough for ourselves to get to the conference tournament,” said junior Nathan Hughes. “We will have to win our last three conference games, and Western will have to lose one of its last games for us to get in.”

Southern now finds itself in a tough situation having to win out and count on Western losing at least one game.

“It is definitely doable on our part. We know we have to handle business and win three games,” said senior Darin Nonemaker. “We just do not like to be in a situation where another team determines our fate.”

If Southern does get to the tournament, it will have to face No. 1 Central Missouri State. But that does not worry the players one bit.

“Bring on Central,” Nonemaker said. “They are the ones we want to beat and get out of the way early.”

There is some good news for at least one Lion baseball player, though. Nathan Hughes, with his strong six-inning performance against the University of Arkansas on April 29, put himself in a good situation to be drafted in June.

“The Phillies have seemed the most interested, but it is still early,” Hughes said. “If I get an offer, I’m definitely going to take it.”

Turner thinks Hughes has a good shot of getting signed after his performance against Arkansas.

“He is left handed and a good athlete. He has a free and easy motion and shows potential so he is just what the scouts are looking for,” Turner said.