KYLE RHINE | Reporter
Right fielder Vince Saladino delivered three hits and drove in one run in the Lions’ 9-5 loss to conference opponent Central Missouri Tuesday night at Lou Brock Stadium in St. Charles, Missouri.
Michael Cessna started on the mound for Lindenwood, lasting four innings and allowed three runs. Two of the runs were earned. Cessna recorded two strikeouts and surrendered seven hits to Central Missouri.
In the fifth inning, the Mules added to their 3-1 lead scoring four runs on five hits giving Central Missouri a 7-1 lead heading into the late innings.
Photo by Kyle Rhine
Lindenwood countered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth. Wes Degener walked with one out and then came around to score on a two out single off the bat of Drew Quinones. After a two-out walk to Neil Fischer, Dominic Revetta singled up the middle scoring Quinones and cutting Central Missouri’s lead to four.
Central Missouri piled two more runs in the eighth inning, extending its lead to 9-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
In the bottom half, Ian Nelson singled through the right side of the infield, scoring Vince Saladino to reduce the deficit to five heading into the final inning.
Neil Fischer drove in the lone run in the ninth inning on a RBI double, but that was all the offense the Lions could muster in the final inning.
Following the loss, Lindenwood falls to 12-12 on the season and will begin a three-game series with conference opponent Nebraska-Kearney starting on March 23 at 6 p.m. in Kearney, Nebraska.
