The Missouri Western baseball team split an MIAA doubleheader with the Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Friday afternoon. The Griffons won game one 5-4 before losing the night cap 7-5. The Griffons 17 game winning streak was ended but they are now 18-4 overall and 13-1 in MIAA play.

GAME 1
MWSU 5, UCO 4

The Griffons used a four run second inning and solid pitching from Brandon Simmons and Logan Hollingsworth picking up their 17th straight victory by a score of 5-4 over the Bronchos.

Simmons gave up a two-run homer to Ross Rose in the top of the second inning but from there he would leave two UCO runners on while striking out seven. He went six innings giving up five hits and three earned runs while striking out eight. He now has 200 strikeouts in his career which puts him in fifth place all-time in MWSU history. He is 5-0 on the season.

The Griffons responded in their half of the second using three doubles and four hits gaining a 4-2 lead. Spencer Shockley, Jimmy Smelcer and Shawn Egge all got doubles in the inning.

The Bronchos scratched across runs in the third and fifth tying the score at four. In the bottom of the sixth the Griffons opened up the inning with a triple by Nate Ramler. Pinch runner Jeremy Monty scored on a Grant Fink single down the right field line giving MWSU the 5-4 lead.

Hollingswoth got the save going one inning striking out two. He picked up his third save of the season.

The Griffons had seven hits with Smelcer leading the way with two.

The Bronchos had five hits with Matt Malloy and Cesar Wong each getting two. Landon Hallam got the loss going six innings giving up seven hits, five earned runs while striking out four. He falls to 1-3 with the loss.

GAME 2
UCO 7, MWSU 5

In game two the Griffons had five costly errors and stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth falling 7-5 snapping their 17 game winning streak.

The Griffons opened up a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning but an error leading off the top of the 7th led to five UCO runs giving them a 7-3 lead after six and a half.

The Griffons battled back scoring two in the bottom of the eighth but left the bases loaded in the ninth falling by two.

The Central Oklahoma Bronchos sit at 16-7 overall and 13-7 in MIAA play.

The Griffons had 11 hits with Ramler going 3-for-4 with one run and an RBI. Fink and Kyle Simpson each had two hits.

Ethan Ward picked up the loss going 6.2 innings giving up six hits and one earned run while striking out five and walking six. He falls to 1-1 on the season.

The Bronchos had eight hits with Jared Wright going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Jake Tuck picked up the victory going two innings giving up two earned runs and two hits. Ethan Sharp goes 1.2 innings giving up two hits.

The teams will play the final game of the series on Saturday, March 23 with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm from the Griffons Baseball Field.

— MWSU Sports Information —