JOPLIN, Mo. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Baseball surrendered a pair of three-run homers as Missouri Southern rallied to stun the Lions, 11-8, in the series opener Friday.
The Lions broke a 5-5 tie in the sixth on an RBI single by outfielder Sammy Seeger, then added a pair of runs in the eighth on solo home runs by outfielder CJ Snowden and infielder Noah Davis.
UAFS had Missouri Southern down to their final out in the ninth, but MSSU hit a three-run homer to tie the game at 8-8 to force extra innings. MSSU then hit another three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th to steal the win.
Missouri Southern took a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first before the Lions answered with a three-run homer by infielder Matthew Schilling in the top of the second.
UAFS extended its lead to 5-1 in the top of the fourth when Schilling singled in another run and the Lions scored on an MSSU error. However, a pair of two-run homers by MSSU in the fourth and fifth innings tied the game at 5-5.
Schilling and Snowden each finished with three hits for the Lions with Schilling driving in four runs and Snowden scoring twice. Infielder Cayden Burch went 2-for-2 with two runs scored in his season debut.
Starter Brayden Ross tossed six innings on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Tanner Callahan threw a scoreless seventh with Grant Edwards suffering the loss.
The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m.
