Baseball | 5/15/2015 5:11:12 PM

St. Cloud, Minn. – Emporia State dropped their regional opener while Missouri Southern was eleiminated in a pitchers due in the afternoon session of the NCAA Division II Central Regional.
 
Southern Arkansas 9, Emporia State 2
Emporia State could not overcome three unearned runs as they fell to Southern Arkansas in the opening round.
 
Southern Arkansas plated one in the first and two each in the second and third to take a 5-0 lead early. ESU would answer in the bottom of the fifth as Jordan Hodges doubled in Cody Bobbit who reached via single to make it a 5-1 lead. The Muleriders would then plate three more in the top of the sixth to take an 8-1 lead.
 
SAU would then tack on another run on the top of the eighth inning to go up nine runs heading into the last two innings. The Hornets would plate a run in the bottom half of the eight as Tory Bell doubled to drive in Evan Koehler who had singled earlier in the inning.
 
Emporia State will now face sixth seeded Henderson State, coming off an upset win of top seed St. Cloud, at approximately 4:30 p.m. from Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minn.
 
St. Cloud State 2, Missouri Southern 0 (10 innings)

It took extra innings in a scoreless ballgame, but Missouri Southern was eliminated from the NCAA Division II Central Regional by host St. Cloud State.
 
St. Cloud State got a single and a sacrifice fly to plate two runs in the top half of the tenth inning. For the Lions Chris Hoffman and Axel Johnson had the teams lone hits in the game.
 
On the mound Cody Hutchinson pitched 9.2 innings before allowing a run striking out five and allowing just eight hits.
 
Missouri Southern finishes the season with a 40-14 overall record and won the regular season championship.