Joplin, Mo. - On day three of the NCAA-II Central Region Tournament, the Missouri Southern baseball team played two games. First, the Lions defeated Harding by a score of 10-7 to advance to the evening game. They then fell to Arkansas-Monticello in the championship game 11-4, ending their 2024 season with a 44-15 (24-9 MIAA) record.
Game One of the Day vs. Harding
Per the NCAA Tournament rules, the Lions were the home team for this contest. The Bisons were threatening in their first opportunity, but a 5-4-3 double play ended the inning without a run scoring. In the bottom of the first, Garrett Rice came up clutch with a two out, two run home run to left field, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead.
Harding scored their first run of the game in the second, then Missouri Southern responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to push their lead to two once again. Drew Townsend hit a single through the right side to bring home Drew Davis.
The Bisons tied things up in the fourth with two runs in their half of the inning, but again the Lions responded. Chayton Beck drove in Wyatt Morgan with a single through the left side, then Henry Kusiak was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home Treghan Parker. Two more runs came home thanks to another big hit from Garrett Rice, doubling to left field for a 7-3 lead.
The game became tied once again in the top of the eighth, as Harding scored three in the fifth and another in the eighth. Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Drew Townsend walked and Henry Kusiak was hit by a pitch for the MSSU Single Season record 23rd time this year. With both runners on, Garrett Rice hit his second home run of the game to give the Lions the lead at 10-7. The Bisons were retired in order in the top of the ninth, ending 10-7 in favor of the Lions.
Garrett Rice was 3-4 in that contest, driving in 7 runs off 2 home runs and 1 double. Drew Townsend was 3-3 with 3 runs scored, another driven in, and a walk. Chayton Beck went 2-4 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring another himself. Laif Hultine got the win, pitching 1.1 hitless and scoreless innings, tying the MSSU Career Pitching Appearances record set by Cale McCallister in Friday's game.
Game Two of the Day vs. Arkansas-Monticello
Playing as the visitors due to the NCAA rules, the Lions had the first opportunity at the plate. Will Doherty reached with a two out hit, but the Boll Weevils escaped the inning unharmed. In the bottom of the second, UAM scored 6 runs to take a 6-0 lead.
The Lions got a chunk of that back with a big fourth inning. Garrett Rice and Nate Mieszkowski were both hit by a pitch, then Rice scored on a single by Treghan Parker. Drew Davis followed with a three run home run to cut the deficit to 6-4.
Arkansas-Monticello responded in the bottom of the inning, plating five more runs to push their lead to 9-4. Laif Hultine entered the game in the bottom of the fifth for his 78th career pitching appearance, breaking MSSU's record set yesterday by Cale McCallister. With the bases loaded and one out, Hultine sat down the next two batters with strikeouts to get out of the jam.
Hultine proceeded to strikeout the next two as well, ending the day with 5 total over 2.1 innings pitched. The Boll Weevils would score two more runs in the seventh, creating a final score of 11-4. Cale McCallister also threw an inning in the game, tying Hultine with 78 career pitching appearances for the MSSU record.
Henry Kusiak broke a total of 10 records this season, seven MSSU career (hits, runs batted in, total bases, at-bats, extra base hits, games played, hit by pitch), two MIAA career (hits, at-bats), and one MSSU single season (hit by pitch). He also tied the MSSU career record for runs scored.
Cole Gayman tied the MSSU single season wins record with 11. Wyatt Morgan and Garrett Rice each tied an MSSU single game record. Morgan recorded 5 walks against Arkansas-Monticello on February 3, and Rice hit 3 home runs against Washburn on March 24.
For the first time since 2015, the Lions were MIAA Tournament Champions. Additionally, they earned the two seed in the Central Region to serve as a host site for the second consecutive year. As a team, the Lions broke two single season records and one single game record. They finished with a .976 fielding percentage and had 117 total hit by pitch. In February, the team set the record for most walks in a game with 18 against Arkansas-Monticello on February 3.
Print Friendly Version
