After scoring eight runs in the first three innings, the Lindenwood baseball team survived a rally by Missouri Western to hold on to win 9-6 on Sunday afternoon in St. Joseph, Mo.
Lindenwood would explode for eight runs in the first few innings.
Nathan Prindle began another three-hit day in the top of the first as he doubled to left field to move
Wes Degener to third base with nobody out. The Lions scored two with RBIs from
Drew Quinones and
Mike Ehrhard to gain the early advantage.
After
Vince Saladino doubled home a run in the second, Prindle cleared the bases with a triple in the third to make the score 6-0. The Lions added two more in the third with a hit from Erhard and a throwing error to score Saladino and make the score 8-0 after three. Lindenwood threatened again in the fourth with consecutive singles to start the inning, but Missouri Western would end the threat. The game would be quiet until the bottom of the seventh.
After throwing six scoreless innings,
Connor Law was relieved by
Devin Breihan. After inducing a groundball and striking out the second hitter, Breihan was ready to head back in the dugout with a clean inning of work. The Griffons worked three walks and hit a double to score two runs before a grand slam made the score 8-6.
Prindle singled to score Degener in the eighth to get a run back. It looked like Missouri Westen was going to keep the offense going in its half of the eighth A lead-off single gave the Griffons hope, but reliever
Brendan Feldmann forced a groundout and a couple popups to end the inning. Another lead-off single in the ninth by the Griffons forced Feldmann to the stretch immediately, but the righty used a fielder's choice, strikeout, and popup to end the game with the win, 9-6.
Law remained the pitcher of record to move to 4-1 on the season. Prindle and Ehrhard both recorded three hits, as Degener tallied two.
With the series' clincher, the Lions improve to 13-15 on the season with a 7-13 mark in the MIAA. Lindenwood hosts Central Missouri from Lou Brock Sports Complex Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
