Box Score The Lindenwood baseball team lost to Central Oklahoma on Thursday by an 11-5 margin.

Central Oklahoma took the lead in the third inning with three runs off two hits and a costly error.  The Bronchos added one run in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead.

The Lions had a big fifth inning to tie the game at 5-5 starting with two outs.  Nick Kolley sparked a rally with a single and Branden Sugar followed with a double to put both runners in scoring position.  Ben Coudret drew a walk to load the bases and Jerry Roam hit a two-RBI single to put Lindenwood on the board.  The Lions kept the inning going with a single by Wade Rothermich to drive in Coudret and the Bronchos changed arms in attempt to stop the bleeding.

Rothermich moved to second on a wild pitch and Roam advanced to third.  Both runners scored on a ball hit to shallow center that Marshall Vallandingham stretched into a double.  Lindenwood put up five runs on six hits to tie the game at 5-5.

The Lions defense stepped up by playing strong for the next few innings and the offense could not catch a break.  Lindenwood left three runners on in the sixth inning and again in the seventh inning without scoring a run.  Central Oklahoma had bases loaded with two outs in the top of the eighth.  The Bronchos put the ball in play which resulted in an error along with three runs scoring as the Lions attempted to throw out a runner at home, but a collision at home forced the ball to escape from the Lions.

Lindenwood surrendered six runs in the top of the eighth inning to lose by a score of 11-5.  In the game, the Lions allowed 14 hits and committed five errors in the field.

The Lions fall to 14-22 on the year and are now 11-14 in the MIAA.  Lindenwood will play Central Oklahoma on Friday for a 6 p.m. start at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.