Southern splits with fourth ranked Central Missouri - KOAM TV 7

Southern splits with fourth ranked Central Missouri

JOPLIN -- The Missouri Southern baseball team split a double-header with fourth ranked Central Missouri, dropping game one, 14-3, but taking the nightcap 9-1 behind a complete-game from Cody Griebling. 

The Lions (12-9, 8-8 MIAA) fell victim to the big inning in game one as Central (16-4, 11-4 MIAA) scored six in the third and five in the fourth, as well as three more in the sixth en route to the win. The Mules got a complete game from Don Lisi as he scattered eight hits and struck out six, walking one. 

Dane Kolkmeyer picked up his first home run of the season in the opener, while CJ Matthews went 3-3 with two RBIs.Tee Helsel went 1-2 with a pair of runs scored. 

In game two, the Lions returned the favor, scoring six runs in the second inning as Griebling took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. The Lions' first six batters reached base in the second as Matthews and Ben Millard had RBI singles.Harrison Gerber, Jesse Kinzey and Cullen Baxter would drive in a run each in the inning. 

The Lions added a single run in each of the fourth, seventh and eighth innings. Baxter drove in a run in the fourth with a sacrifice bunt, while the Lions picked up an unearned run in the seventh and Kolkmeyer drove in Patrick Deao with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. 

Griebling went the distance, striking out six and walking just two, while allowing only one earned run and four hits in nine innings of work. He threw 112 pitches, 76 of which were strikes. 

Gerber, Helsel, Deao and Millard all had a pair of hits, with Deao scoring twice and Baxter driving in two. 

The Lions and Mules will be back in action tomorrow afternoon with a 1 pm double-header at Joe Becker Stadium.