MARYVILLE, Missouri - The Missouri Southern State University Lions picked up a pair of victories over the Northwest Missouri State University baseball team at the Bearcat Baseball Field Saturday afternoon.

The Lions took the opener, 6-2, and completed the doubleheader sweep with an 11-4 triumph.

Northwest (13-22 overall, 11-18 MIAA) and Missouri Southern (26-10 overall, 19-10 MIAA) will meet again Sunday at 1 p.m. to finish the three-game set.

GAME ONE
Missouri Southern starter Zach Parish moved to 9-1 as he struck out 11 Bearcats in six innings of work.

The Lions started the game off with a bang as Jordan Fitzpatrick homered off Bearcat starter Zach Wiese. After allowing the leadoff homer, Wiese settled and retired the next three MSSU batters.

Parish struck out three of the first Bearcat batters before Matt Gastner greeted him with a solo bomb to left to even the score at 1-1. The Bearcats looked to add more by loading the bases off a walk by Drew Mackie, a single by Ethan Judd and a walk to Jacob Pinkerton. But Brett Holden flew out to right to end the threat in the second.

Wiese had allowed only two hits through the first four innings, but the Lions were able to touch him up in the fifth with four hits and three runs that included a home run and a double. 

The Bearcats were held hitless in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Northwest attempted to ignite a two-out rally in the sixth on back-to-back singles from Tyler Peters and Mackie. But Parish extinguished the scoring opportunity with his 11th strikeout of the contest.

Wiese began the eighth with a walk and was relieved by Colin Shreves. Shreves was greeted with a two-run homer to cap the scoring from the Lions. 

Connor Quick snapped a 1-for-22 slump with a leadoff double in the eighth. He came around to score on an RBI single from Ryan Koski to end the scoring for the Bearcats.

Wiese took the loss to fall to 2-5 on the year despite going seven innings and striking out five. He allowed nine hits and five runs (all earned) while only walking one batter. Shreves pitched two innings in relief and gave up the homer for his only hit allowed.

Eight different Bearcats recorded a base hit in the opening game. Northwest had 15 batters go down on strikes.

GAME TWO
The Lions pounded out 14 hits en route to an 11-4 victory in the nightcap. 

Missouri Southern scored three runs in the third and then added runs in each of the last four innings.

Northwest was able to secure 11 hits and tallied a pair of two-run innings in the sixth and seventh.

The Lions scored the first seven runs before Northwest's Peter Carlson launched his 10th home run of the season in the bottom half of the sixth. Trevor Dooley singled home Connor Quick for the second run of the inning for the Bearcats.

After the Lions upped the lead to 9-2, Northwest got two back in the seventh. Quick reached on an error that plated Brett Holden. Koski drove home a run on an unfortunate fielder's choice. Koski lofted a fly ball down the right field line that the wind played tricks with and left Quick in no-man's land as he was caught between holding at first or advancing. Quick was forced at second as Carlson scored and Koski had to settle for a fielder's choice.

MSSU added a solo homer in the eighth and another run off two hits in the ninth.

MSSU starter Will Bausinger got the win to improve to 6-2 as he went six innings and allowed eight hits and two runs with seven strikeouts.

Reigning MIAA pitcher of the Week Alex Slocum took the loss to fall to 4-2 on the season. Slocum worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits and seven runs (all earned). Slocum struck out two and walked two. Blaine Hanf pitched 2/3 of an inning and walked one, but did not allow a hit. Brandin Hallier pitched 2 2/3 in relief and allowed six hits and four runs (all earned), while he struck out three. Alexander Lovin got the final out in the ninth.

Quick erupted for four hits and reached base all five times he came to bat. Carlson went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.

NOTES: Carlson leads the Bearcats with 10 home runs this season ... he has recorded 20 career home runs to rank No. 8 in Northwest history ... Quick posted his ninth multi-hit game of the season ... it is the third four-hit game by a Bearcat this season (Brett Holden and Jacob Pinkerton previously had four-hit games) ... Koski extended his hitting streak to eight in a row ... Koski is batting a team-high .346 this season.