JOPLIN -  The Drury Baseball Panthers pounded out 19 hits in route to a 17-8 non-conference victory over 15^th ranked Missouri Southern on Wednesday at Warren Turner Field.

Drury improved to 9-9 and Missouri Southern fell to 15-6.

The Lions got on the board with a homer in the opening frame, then Kaden Helsel singled to score Clayton Engel in the Panther second.  Engel would put DU up in the third when he tripled to drive home two Panthers and make it a 3-1 DU lead.  Ethan Owens singled to score Helsel in the fourth and extend the Panther lead to 4-1.

Drury put a five spot on the board in the fifth and crossed five runs on four hits to hold a commanding 9-1 advantage. Aaron Mann blasted a two-run homer and Owens tripled to score two Panthers.  The Lions roared back and scored two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to cut the lead to 9-5.

Drury added a run in the eighth and erupted for seven runs on six hits in the top of the ninth.  Southern also had a productive ninth with three runs but could draw no closer than 17-8.

Helsel was 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI and Owens finished the day 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a pair of runs.  The Lions managed 11 hits off DU pitchers with Collin Fraley (1-1) getting the win and going the first five innings of the contest.

Drury will jump back into Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Saturday when they will host Quincy at US Baseball Park in Ozark.  First pitch is set for noon with two games on the day followed by the third and final game of the series Sunday at noon.