MSSU baseball falls to No. 8 PSU
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Pittsburg State University's baseball team tallied a combined nine runs in the third and fourth innings Tuesday en route to a 10-3 win over the Missouri Southern State University Lions at PSU. The Gorillas (34-8, 21-8) struck first when Dagen Brewer — the MIAA’s home run leader with 21— hit a solo homer over the center field fence in the bottom of the opening inning.
Southern’s Jason Lazo answered with a solo shot of his own to right center in the top of the second to tie the game. In the bottom of the third, MSSU opted to take the bat out of the hands of the dangerous Brewer with an intentional walk that loaded the bases. As the next batter up, PSU’s Isaac Webb sent a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a grand slam and a 5-1 Gorilla lead.
The Lions (29-14, 24-9) got two of those runs back in the top of the fourth when Aiden Hinkle hit a solo home run over the center field fence and Ethan Clark scored on a Brayden Luikart single to right center field that made it a 5-3 game. The Gorillas wrapped up scoring for the game in the bottom of the frame with five runs. Landin Midgett scored on an infield error, and Andrew Branson made it 7-3 when he crossed the plate on an Eric Bacon single to left.
Jadyn Nealy scored on a balk, and Grant Nottleman made it 10-3 when he plated Brewer and Bacon with a single up the middle. Three Lions logged multiple hits in the game. Luikart went 2 for 5 with an RBI, Cy Darnell was 2 for 4 and Jacob Filip was 2 for 3.
MSSU starter Braden Ray (2-1) was tagged for the loss after giving up six runs (five earned) on five hits. He struck out one and walked two in three innings of work. Webb led the Gorillas at the plate after finishing 3 for 5 with four RBIs and a run.