The Lindenwood baseball team opened up the three-game series against Emporia State with a 5-4 walk-off win on Friday night at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.
 
Emporia State jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one run in the second inning and two in the third.  Lindenwood fought back in the bottom of the third that began with a Wes Degener single, followed by a stolen base.  Nathan Prindle doubled and Degener moved to third, and shortly after, Mike Ehrhard drove Degener in on a single.  Ryan Sosnowski hit a double to bring in Prindle to help cut the deficit to just one run.
 
The Hornets scored another run in the top of the sixth to go ahead by two runs, but the Lions battled back in the bottom of the eighth.  Lindenwood stayed disciplined at the plate as the Lions scored two runs on a bases loaded walk, and another on a bases loaded hit by pitch.  Both teams were held scoreless in the ninth inning to force extra innings.
 
The Lindenwood pitching staff was nails in the game as Brendan Feldmann threw nine innings, allowed just four runs on nine hits and tallied eight strikeouts.  Brendan Kleekamp entered the game in the tenth inning and held the Hornets hitless as he struck out two batters.  Degener stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning and took the first pitch over the right field fence to give Lindenwood the 5-4 victory.
 
Lindenwood improves to 18-23 on the year and 12-18 in the MIAA.  The Lions continue the series on Saturday for a 1 p.m. start against Emporia State at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.