The No. 12 ranked Lindenwood Lions baseball team traveled to Liberty, Missouri to take on William Jewell in its first road conference games of the season on Friday. Lindenwood would get shutout, 9-0 in game one, but would bounce back and beat the Cardinals, 6-1 in game two.
Game one started with both teams going scoreless for the first two innings. William Jewell was able to score three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead. Then in the bottom of the fifth the home team exploded for six runs to take a 9-0 lead, which they would hold onto for the win.
Lions’ starter Chris Johnson went 3 1/3 innings giving up three runs on just four hits. The Lions’ offense was only able to muster five hits, led by Justin Lamar, who went 2-for-3.
In the second game of the day the Lions offense woke up and compiled 12 hits, while Evan Vinyard and Joey Vega surrendered only one to Jewell. The Lions got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning with a single tally but Jewell came right back and tied the score in the third. With the game tied at one, Lindenwood would take the lead in the fourth with a pair of runs. The visitors would add three insurance runs in the top of the seventh and then hold on for the, 6-1 win.
Vinyard started and went 5 2/3 innings surrendering only one hit and striking out seven. Mike Gumm led the way for the Lion offense going 2-for-4 with a double and a homerun. Lamar also had another good game at the plate going 3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.
Lindenwood’s record now sits at 21-9 overall and 6-4 in conference play. The Lions will take on nonconference foe McKendree on Sunday afternoon at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.