EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Three, two-out runs in the top of the 11th inning lifted the Missouri Western baseball team (7-9) to a 6-4 series clinching win at No. 16 Southern Indiana (5-4) on Sunday. The Griffons won two-of-three against USI.

The win was Buzz Verduzco’s 540th as the head coach at Missouri Western, tying him with Doug Minnis, the Griffons only other head coach.

Southern Indiana got a two-out run of its own in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Maurice Bruce put the Griffs back on top in the 11th with an RBI-single that scored Ryan Smith. Dusty Stroup added to the lead with an RBI-single of his own and a throwing error led to Missouri Western’s third two-out run of the inning.

NOTABLES
– Nate Hunter (2-2) picked up the win in relief in his second-straight appearance as the team’s closer. Hunter went 4 2/3, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out four

– Stroup went 3-for-5 at the dish with an RBI and a walk

– The Griffons scored six runs on six hits, all singles, but had four sacrifice bunts and a sacrifice fly

– Griffon pitchers combined for six strikeouts and just one walk

– Stroup and Bruce each had four hits and two RBIs in the series

– Casey Danley went 4-for-12 in the series with an RBI

– Brooks Days scored three runs in the series

UP NEXT
The Griffons return to conference play and the Spring Sports Complex, hosting Washburn (6-9) for a three-game series, Mach 9-11.

— MWSU Athletics —