The Missouri Western baseball team used a nine run third inning defeating the Missouri Southern Lions 12-2 in a run rule game. The Griffons forced a winner take all contest with the Lions which will start at 1:30 pm from Community America Ballpak. MWSU improved to 40-9 overall behind a complete game seven hitter from red-shirt freshman Kyle Kelly. He improves to 3-1 as he struck out four.

The Lions jumped on the board in the first when Michael McCoy walked and scored on a Sam Ryan single to left field. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the third when the Griffons bats came alive.

The Griffons got eight hits and scored nine runs in the inning. The Griffons did everything right in the inning being aggressive on the bases and at the plate. Nate Ramler and Michael Schulze each had hits in the inning that plated two. After the third the Griffons led 9-1.

The Lions scored one in the fifth off a Sam Ryan homer but that would be it as the Griffons plated three more in the final three innings coming away with the victory.

The Griffons had 15 hits with Schulze and Simpson each getting three. Schulze, Bubba Dotson, Simpson, Ramler and Jimmy Smelcer all had two RBI. Dotson and Simpson tied the MWSU single season record for most RBI in a season as they both have 59. They tied the record which was held by Mike Musser (1982) and Justin Coffman (2005)

Payton Walker got the loss for the Lions going two innings giving up six hits and five earned runs. He falls to 6-5 on the season. Ryan and Nick Doughty each had two hits leading MSSU.

— MWSU Sports Information —