The Lindenwood baseball team lost 6-2 to Missouri Western on Friday night at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.
 
Lindenwood struggled offensively in the early part of the game, but the seventh inning featured a spark that looked to be the start of a comeback for the Lions.  The offense generated just one run on three hits and left three runners stranded in the seventh frame as the potential tying run was left on first base.  Andrew Eilers tossed six innings and had six strikeouts as he took the loss and moves to 4-2 on the season.
 
The Lions were down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh as Kyle Teter sparked a rally with a leadoff single to center field.  Drew Quinones doubled down the left field line and a single by Rayce Singbush put the Lions on the board to make it 4-1.  Lindenwood hit a wall in the inning and could not find any more offense as it ended the inning with a strikeout and three runners stranded.
 
Ryan Sosnowski started the eighth inning and scored on a double to left center by Conor Behrens, but the Lions failed to build off the momentum and brought the game to a 4-2 deficit.  Missouri Western added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth and the Lions ran out of gas in the 6-2 loss.
 
Lindenwood drops to 16-14 on the year and 9-9 in the MIAA while the Griffons improve to 15-13 on the season and 12-6 in league play.  The Lions will take on the Griffons in the second game of the series on Saturday night at 6 p.m. at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.