No. 7 MSSU falls to No. 2 RSU in extra innings of regional

Missouri Southern State University fought back to tie the game on Thursday evening in Claremore, Oklahoma, as the seventh-seeded Lions faced the second-seeded Hillcats of Rogers State University in a Central Region opening-round contest in the NCAA Division II baseball tournament.

MSSU fell behind 3-0 after RSU notched two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth. But it tallied two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to even things. But a one-out single in the bottom of the 10th gave the Hillcats a walk-off victory to avoid a first-round upset.

The one-run win gives RSU a spot in the winner’s side of the Central Region and it will face No. 3 University of Central Missouri at 6 p.m. Friday for a spot in the regional title game. RSU is now 3-1 against Southern this year but has only outscored them by four runs. Two games were one-run victories in extra innings for the Hillcats.

MSSU plays again at 3 p.m. Friday against No. 6 Minnesota State University-Mankato, which lost to UCM 3-0 Thursday. The two teams met at MSSU Feb. 16. Mankato won 9-8 and was nationally ranked at No. 13 during that time.

Game notes

Owen Schneider started for the Lions and pitched 5 ⅓ innings surrendering four hits, four walks and three runs while striking out one batter. In relief, Jackson Gamble pitched one inning and struck out two batters while walking two more in a scoreless frame. Marcus Young got the last three innings and was tagged with the loss. He gave up a run on three hits and three walks.

Rogers’ Zach Horwith started and pitched into the seventh frame, completing 6 ⅔ innings. MSSU picked up seven hits off Horwith and two runs while drawing two walks. Horwith got four Lions out on strikes.

Ricardo Landeros got out of the seventh but later walked two batters and had a run charged to him in the eighth. Michael Klein relieved Landeros and finished the last three innings of work. He allowed no baserunners and didn’t strike anyone out.

Both offenses tallied seven hits. Ethan Clark led MSSU with two hits. Blake Jones’ two-RBI single in the seventh sparked the offense. Clark had an RBI in the eighth with a sacrifice bunt. Zak Nelson and Andres Contreras each had two hits for the Hillcats. Nelson led the team with two runs scored. Contreras, Jake Mitchell and Trevor Spainhoward each had an RBI.