Baseball | 5/14/2017 8:20:37 PM

Joplin, Mo. – Lindenwood came back from down 6-1 to win their first MIAA Baseball Tournament title with a 12-8 victory over Central Oklahoma from Warren Turner Field in Joplin, Mo.
 
Central Oklahoma scored in the top of the first as a Brenton Washausen RBI ground out plated Jake Dyer. Lindenwood would answer in the top of the second as Conor Behrens had a solo home run to left center field.
 
The Bronchos would plate five runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead starting with an RBI single from Caleb Peters. Justin Brown followed that up with a single of his own driving home Kyle Miskovsky. Korey Floyd would then plate two more with a double to right center and then Washausen would drive him home with an RBI single.
 
The Lions would respond in the top of the third as Rayce Singbush drove home two with a single to left field. Sam Baxter would follow that up with a single of his own driving home Behrens and cutting the lead to 6-4 overall.
 
Drew Quinones would then tie the game for the Lions with a two-run home run to right field in the top of the fourth. The Bronchos regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Floyd drove home Peters with an RBI single to right field.
 
The Lions came right back in the top of the fifth inning as Tyler Muehling doubled to left center field scoring Paul Sherwood. UCO would jump back in front in the bottom of the fifth inning and Caleb Peters doubled down the left field line driving home Anthony Alvarez.
 
But much like most of the game, Lindenwood came back in the top of the inning as Kyle Teter advanced two bases on a wild pitch and passed ball, then scored on an RBI groundout.
 
The Lions got their first lead of the game in the top of the eighth inning as Conor Behrens singled to left field scoring Muehling. A sacrifice fly to center by Behrens would then drive home Sosnowski giving LWU the 10-8 lead.
 
LWU would add two more runs in the top of the ninth as Wes Degner had an RBI single and Drew Quinones had a sacrifice fly.
 
Quinones finished three for four with three runs driven in and two runs scored and Behrens also drove in three with two runs scored. Connor Law earned the victory on the mound pitching the final four innings and allowing just two hits while striking out four.
 
Lindenwood earns the MIAA’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Central Regional while all other teams will await their fate when the field is announced tonight at 9 p.m. on ncaa.com.