The Lindenwood baseball team defeated Harris Stowe by a final of 20-3 on Friday night at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.
 
The Lions opened up the first inning with a quick one-hit inning in the top frame, followed by some offensive production in the bottom of the inning.  Nathan Prindle was hit by a pitch, and the very next pitch was taken over the fence in right center by Drew Quinones to put Lindenwood up 2-0.  Austin Georgen stuck out two Hornet batters in the second inning to tally his third of the day.  The Lions scored more runs in the second, with the first one coming off of a sacrifice bunt by Zac Perkins to bring in Rayce Singbush.
 
Wes Degener drove in Ryan Sosnowski on a triple to right field, and Prindle doubled to bring in Degener.  After stealing third base, Prindle scored on a wild pitch and Quinones crossed the plate on a Sam Baxter double.  Lindenwood held a 7-0 lead after two innings of play on just six hits.  The Lions added a run in the third inning when Sosnowski scored on a wild pitch.  Harris Stow climbed back into the game with two runs in the top of the fourth, but Lindenwood kept scoring runs.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Prindle scored on a Baxter sacrifice fly, and a double by Michael Bibbs drove in Quinones.  The Lions held a 10-2 lead after four innings, and Georgen's night was done after four innings pitched with six strikeouts and just two runs allowed.  Lindenwood had a big fifth inning that put the dagger in the opening game of this season.
 
Quinones drove in a run on a single, and Baxter hit a bases-clearing triple to tack on three more runs.  After two more Lindenwood runs, Degener tripled to bring in Perkins and Sosnowski.  Degener later scored on a balk by the Harris Stowe pitcher to total 10 runs in the fifth inning for the Lions.  Lindenwood held an 18-run lead, and ended the game with a 20-3 victory on opening day.
 
Degener ended the afternoon with two triples, three RBI, and three runs scored.  Prindle had a 1-for-1 day at the plate with his only hit being a double, while he tacked on four runs scored, one RBI, and drew two walks.  Baxter, a junior transfer, was 3-for-3 with a double, and a triple, while adding a team-high five RBI.
 
The Lions kick off the 2016 season at 1-0 after the 20-3 victory.  Lindenwood will play its second game against Harris Stowe on Saturday at 1 p.m. in St. Charles, Mo. at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.