DANIEL BRICKHAUS| Reporter

The Lindenwood baseball team won two of the three games versus Southwest Baptist University over the weekend.

The Bearcats took an early lead with a run in the first inning and another in the third inning to go up 2-0.

Bryce Beckmann started the fifth inning with a single through the right side. Ryan Venne followed with a single up the middle, and Calvin Nowak drove in Beckmann on a single of his own.

Kolby Schulte put the ball in play in the next at bat, allowing Venne and Nowak to score, making it 3-2 in favor of the Lions. Southwest Baptist tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.

In the ninth inning, Venne singled through the left side with two outs to keep the inning alive.

Alex Gausphol pinch ran and went from first to third on a single by Nowak to put runners at the corners with one out.

Schulte drove in Gauspohl on a single to right field, breaking the tie. Mitchell Krebs laid down a perfect bunt to bring in Nowak, extending the lead to 5-3.

The Lions turned a key double play in the bottom of the ninth and held on for the 5-3 win over the Bearcats.

Southwest Baptist scored the first run of the second game in the bottom of the fifth, but Lindenwood responded in the top of the sixth.

Kyle Stevens hit a one-out double to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Neil Fischer put the ball in play to bring Stevens in for the tying run.

Bryce Beckmann followed up with a single to center field on the next pitch. Beckmann used his speed to get around the third base and scored on a single by Ryan Sosnowski to make the score 2-1. The Bearcats quickly regained their lead with two runs on one hit and a runner left on base in the bottom half of the sixth.

Michael Cessna threw three strong innings for Lindenwood, giving the Lions a chance at a comeback.

Beckmann again used his speed to steal second after a walk in the eighth inning.

Sosnowski hit a deep fly ball to centerfield, allowing Beckmann to zoom around third and across the plate to tie the game at 3-3. Mitchell Krebs hit a one-out single to centerfield in the top of the ninth and moved to second base on a walk.

DJ Miller broke the tie with a double to right center, driving in Krebs. Cessna earned his fourth win of the season, as he struck out five batters and allowed just two hits in his outing.

DJ Miller put the Lions on the board in the first inning with a two-run home run to right center at the start of game three.

The Bearcats answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2.

Ryan Venne was able to add another run on the board with a solo shot to right center.

Kyle Stevens tied the game with an RBI single, driving in Miller in the process in the top of the third. The Bearcats again took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, resulting in a 6-4 lead.

Kolby Schulte brought the Lions within one run in the top of the fourth on his solo home run to left field.

Lindenwood struggled to keep the Bearcats off the board for the remainder of the game, as a four-run sixth inning gave Southwest Baptist a 10-5 lead. Venne helped bring the Lions back in the top of the seventh as he belted a grand slam to right field, making it 10-9 in favor of the host Bearcats.

The Lions took an 11-10 lead on a fielding error by the Bearcats to end the top of the seventh.

Southwest Baptist took all the momentum away from Lindenwood, after regaining the lead in the bottom of the seventh and never let go of the one-run lead.

The Bearcats would end up taking game three by a score of 12-11.

The Lions will return home to take on McKendree on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Lou Brock Sports Complex.