by MWSU Sports Information
Keri Lorbert blasted a two run walk off double in the bottom of the seventh inning capping a comeback victory over the Missouri Southern Lions in game two of the MIAA Tournament. Western scored seven unanswered runs earning the 7-6 victory. The Griffons won game one of the tournament 3-1 over the Washburn Lady Blues. Western is 40-11 on the season and will play Nebraska-Omaha tomorrow at 3:00 pm at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan.
Game One: Missouri Western 3, Washburn 1
Behind eight hits and a complete game effort from MIAA Freshman of the Year Jackie Bishop the Griffon softball team opened the MIAA Tournament with a 3-1 victory over the Washburn Lady Blues. Bishop fanned nine batters scattering five hits and giving up one earned run. She has 202 strikeouts on the season just three away from passing Cheri Kempf’s mark of 204 which was set in 1982. She improves to 24-3 on the season.
The Lady Blues opened the game with two bunt hits but could not move the runners as Bishop struck out the next three batters. The Lady Blues left five runners on base in the contest.
Western got on the board in the second when Leah Steele hit a two out single to center field scoring pinch runner Adelaide Quaney. Western went up 2-0 in the third as Erin Widrig scored on a wild pitch by Kelsie Novotny. Western couldn’t get a timely hit the next two innings leaving a combined five runners on base (3 in the fourth and 2 in the fifth). Western left 10 on base in the contest. Brittany Douglas gave Western an insurance run in the sixth hitting her team leading 13th home run over the left field fence.
Washburn used a home run by Shelby Erickson in the seventh trimming the deficit to 3-1 with one out but Bishop got a fly out and her ninth strike out to end any rally chances. The Griffons scattered eight hits with Toni Dance and Ashley Hudson going 2-3.
The Lady Blues had five hits with Erickson going 2-3. Novotny pitched six innings giving up eight hits and two earned runs while fanning five. She falls to 10-13 on the season. After the loss Washburn fell to 18-29.
Game Two: Missouri Western 7, Missouri Southern 6
Western starting pitcher Jonnelle Belger struggled finding the plate in game two of the MIAA tournament giving up six hits and walking six in just an inning of play. After two innings the Griffons found themselves down 6-0 against the Lions.
The two teams played scoreless softball for the next five innings. The Griffons started a rally in the bottom of the sixth with Blair Stalder leading off the inning with a walk and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Maegan Reommich followed that up with a single. Stalder scored on an error by the third baseman which set up a three run bomb by Kat Steponovich cutting the Lion lead to 6-4 after six. The home run marked the first career home run for Steponovich.
Bishop battled through a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh but held the Lions scoreless stranding three on base. The Lions stranded 11 on base in the game.
In the bottom of the seventh Western continued their comeback when Kim Robinson opened the inning reaching on an error by the Lions short stop. After a fielder choice by Stalder the Griffons put together three straight hits with Lorbert’s being the game winner.
Bishop improves to 25-3 on the season just one win shy of tying the school record which was set by Allison Jones (26) in 2009. Bishop also had 10 strikeouts and is now the single season record holder with 212 on the season. She broke Kempf’s record of 204 with her third strikeout of the game.
Western had seven hits with Roemmich and Steponovich each collecting two.
Missouri Southern had eight hits with Breanna Volkmann going 4-4 with two runs scored. Tiffany Bennett picked up the loss going just a 1/3 of an inning giving up three hits and two runs. Nicole Reed went six innings giving up four hits while striking out three. The Lions fall to 32-21 with the loss.