From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Logan Williams and Gavan McCauley combined for five hits and six runs batted in to power nationally ranked Southern Arkansas past Missouri Southern 13-1 Friday night in a baseball season opener for both teams.
The Muleriders, ranked No. 2 in a sports writers’ poll and No. 4 in the coaches’ poll, collected 10 hits off five Lions pitchers, and four Missouri Southern errors led to six unearned runs.
Williams, who was batting sixth in the lineup, went 3-for-5 with a run-scoring single in the first inning and a two-run home run in the seventh.
McCauley, the No. 9 hitter, had a two-run single in the third and RBI single in the seventh.
Southern Arkansas starter Hayden Simpson allowed three hits in 52/3 scoreless innings but threw 126 pitches. He struck out 13 batters and walked five.
The Lions avoided a shutout with a run in the eighth inning. Third baseman Skyler Rawlins singled to center, moved to third on first baseman Shayne Hoke’s single to center and scored when catcher Joe Lincoln hit a double-play grounder to third.
The Lions’ other hits were two-out singles by shortstop Jacob Taylor in the first and fifth innings and second baseman Vince Pironti’s single in the third.
Pironti’s hit followed a leadoff walk to Zak Porath. Simpson struck out the next two batters, then walked Taylor to load the bases, but Rawlins lined out to third to end the threat.
The Muleriders grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first off Lion left-hander C.J. Maffei. Two walks put runners at first and third with one out, and Jake Astor’s flyball was dropped by right fielder C.J. Matthews, allowing both runners to score. Williams’ two-out single to left plated the final run.
Maffei allowed seven hits and five runs (three earned) in five innings, walked five batters and struck out three. He threw 95 pitches.
Mitch Albright pitched a scoreless sixth before the Muleriders touched Kyle Coatney for four runs in the seventh. Corey Wells fanned two while recording three outs in the seventh, and Kevin Humphrey gave up a hit and two unearned runs in the eighth.
The Lions and Muleriders play a doubleheader today, starting at noon.
