April 24, 2009-After a nine day lay-off from MIAA play, the #3 Emporia State baseball team saw their 12 game winning streak come to an end with an 11-4 loss at Missouri Southern on Friday night.

Kenny Burkhead gave the Hornets a 2-0 lead in the first with an RBI single and then came home on a ground out. The Lions answered with a two run home run by Jacob Taylor in the bottom of the first. ESU got back to back RBI singles by Andy Cotton and Conner Crumbliss to go back up 4-2 in the second. MSSU answered with two of their own in the bottom of the frame on a two run double by Zach Caldwell. The Hornets would not score again as C.J. Maffei retired nine straight after Crumbliss' RBI single and did not allow another hit until the seventh inning. Southern took the lead with two more in the third on a two RBI double by Trent Owens. They would add single runs in the fourth and sixth innings and put three on the board in the seventh for the final 11-4 score.

Cotton was two for three with an RBI for the Hornets, who managed six hits. Crumbliss, Burkhead and Marc Albers all had an RBI for ESU. Ryan Anthony suffered just his second loss of the season, giving up six runs on five hits in 3.0 innings.

The Hornets, who have a five game lead in the loss column on UNO, UCM and MSSU, will take on the Lions on Saturday in a double header in Joplin, Mo. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

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