The Missouri Western baseball team clinched the second seed in next weekends MIAA Baseball Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. with a 15-1 run rule victory in the series opener against the Fort Hays State Tigers. Western pounded out 14 hits and capitalized on four Tiger errors in the victory. The Griffons improve to 31-14 overall and 24-11 in MIAA play.

Western got a complete game shutout from senior left hander Ethan Ward as he went all seven innings giving up just five hits while striking out five. He gave up one earned run which came in the bottom of the first inning. Ward improved to 6-2 pitching his second complete game of the season.

Western scored runs in five of the final six innings which included a six run third inning and a four run seventh inning.

Of the Griffons 14 hits six of them were doubles with three coming from Michael Schulze. Schulze went 4-for-4 with three doubles, two runs scored and two RBI. Spencer Shockley and Bubba Dotson also ahd two hits for the Griffons. Shawn Egge had three RBI while Tony Loeffler scored two runs and had two RBI.

The Tigers fall to 25-20 on the season and 19-17 in MIAA play. Offensively for the Tigers Nash Smith and Jay Sanders had doubles while Brandon Hoefler knocked in Smith for the Tigers only run of the game. Shawn Lewick falls to 6-4 going 3.2 innings giving up 10 hits and 10 runs with just four being earned.

The two teams will play games two and three tomorrow afternoon with two seven inning games starting at 1:00 pm in Hays, Kan.

— MWSU Sports Information —