The Missouri Western baseball team won its first ever MIAA regular season championship with a doubleheader sweep over the Washburn Ichabods Tuesday. The Griffons won game one 3-1 and game two 11-1. MWSU improves to 34-7 overall and 27-4 in MIAA play.
Game 1
MWSU 3, WU 1
Jerad Hawkins made quick work of the Ichabods in game one throwing just 65 pitches in a 3-1 victory. He pitched his first complete game of the season going all seven innings giving up just three hits and one earned run. He struckout four improving to 6-0 on the season.
Missouri Western got on the board in the first inning when Bubba Dotson singled to right field and then scored on a Kyle Simpson single. The Griffons put pressure on the Ichabods the rest of the game leaving nine runners on base.
The Ichabods tied it up in the 5th when Connor Crimmins hit a homer over the left field fence tying the score at one.
The Griffons put runners on once again in the sixth and this time Michael Schulze got a two out single scoring Jake Schrader and Spencer Shockley.
Western pounded out 10 hits in the game with Schulze, Dotson and Simpson all getting two.
Brad Alberts falls to 0-6 going six innings. He gave up 10 hits and one eraned run while striking out five.
Game 2
MWSU 11, WU 1 (8 innings)
Missouri Western scored seven runs in the final two innings of game two picking up 11-1 run rule shortened game over the Ichabods. Shockley hit two home runs in the game including the walk off two run homer of the left field fence.
The Griffons got on the board in the first when Michael Schulze walked and scored on a Simpson ground out. The Ichabods tied the score at one in the third when Zacka Haller homered to center field.
The rest of the game would be all Western as they scored at least one run in four of the final five innings. In the fourth the Griffons scored two runs on two hits and capitalized on one Washburn error making it a 3-1 game. Shockley opened up the inning with his third homer of the season.
In the fifth Grant Fink tripled in Simpson making it 4-1. The Griffon bats got going in the 7th getting three more hits and three runs. The Griffons got RBI hits from Nate Ramler and Fink in the inning.
In the 8th Missouri Western got four runs on three hits which included the walk-off homer by Shockley. The home run was his fourth of the season.
The Griffons pitching staff was outstanding as they did not give up a walk all day. In the game Mark Spreckels picked up the victory going five innings giving five hits and on earned run. Spreckels improves to 2-1 on the season with the victory.
Kyle Kelly went two innings striking out four of the seven batters he faced while Mason Queen pitched one scoreless inning.
Western had 11 hits in the contest with Shockley going 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Fink had two hits with two RBI.
The Ichabods had five hits in the contest as they fall to 9-31 overall and 8-30 in MIAA play. Connor Brady falls to 2-1 going five innings giving up five hits and three earned runs. He also walked four and struck out four.
Missouri Western returns to action this weekend when they travel to Joplin, Mo. for the final MIAA regular season series against the Missouri Southern Lions. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 27 with game time set for 1:00 pm.
— MWSU Sports Information —