FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2008

Lions split with Missouri Western

Game One Box | Game Two Box

Joplin, Mo. - Tamika Barnes went the distance and provided the game winning RBI in game two as the Lions split with visiting Missouri Western this afternoon at Gene Wild Field. Southern dropped game one, 9-0, but rebounded to win game two 2-1.

Southern (6-26, 3-9 MIAA) fell down early in game one as Western (21-25, 5-9 MIAA) scored three runs in the first, two in the second, one in the third and three more in the fourth to jump out to an early 9-0 advantage. Western's Allison Jones went the distance in the opener and allowed just two hits, striking out nine and walking none.

Lauryn Berger started for the Lions and went 1.2 innings while Kelli Bax and Tamika Barnes pitched the final 3.2 innings.

Barnes was solid in game two as she held the Griffons scoreless until the sixth inning.

The Lions scored first with a single tally in the second when Megan Roark singled home Kayleigh Cecil. After Western tied it in the sixth on a home run from Brittany Douglas, the Lions promptly loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the seventh. That brought Barnes to the plate and with a 1-1 count, she singled through the right side to plate the winning run.

Turner, Barnes and Roark all had hits for the Lions with Roark and Barnes driving in Southern's two runs. Barnes struck out five and walked one, scattering four hits over seven innings.

The Lions will play their final home series tomorrow afternoon when they play host to Northwest Missouri in a double-header beginning at noon.