The #5 Missouri Western baseball team wrapped up the regular season with a split of a twin bill played against the Missouri Southern Lions Sunday. The Griffons fell in a back-and-forth extra inning battle in game on 9-8 before getting a complete game from Ethan Ward in a 8-4 victory. The Griffons end the regular season 35-8 overall and 28-5 in MIAA play.
Game 1
MSSU 8, MWSU 7 (9 innings)
Despite getting 12 hits Missouri Western squandered two late inning leads in game one losing 8-7 in nine innings. For the first time this season the Griffons did not win a game that Brandon Simmons pitched. Simmons got a no decision going five innings. He gave up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out four. He leff the game with a 5-3 lead.
The Lions took the early lead when Thomas Wilson scored on a Nick Doughty double in the second inning.
Things looked good for the Griffons the next three innings scoring five runs claiming a 5-1 lead after five.
In third Jake Schrader doubled to left field and later scored on a Michael Schulze single tying the score at one. In the fourth Nate Ramler led off with a homer to right field giving MWSU the 3-1 lead after four.
In the fifth Jake Schrader reached on an error and then a double by Shawn Egge and a two RBI single to center field by Michael Schulze gave MWSU a 4-1 lead. Grant Fink then got hit by a pitch with the bases loades scoring Schulze giving the Griffons a 5-1 lead.
The responded in their half o fthe sixth with two outs. Tee Helsel got a two RBI single cutting the Griffons lead to 5-3. In the sixth the Lions got a run off releiver Jared Hawkins adn then in the 7th with two outs Doughty doubled in the tying run off Logan Hollingsworth.
Things looked good for the Griffons in the 8th as they scored two runs. they got a run off a bases loaded walk and another run off a fielder choice by Ramler giving the Griffons a 7-5 lead.
Unfortunatly once again the Lions responded scoring two runs off four hits tying the score at seven in after eight. The Griffons stranded a leadoff single in the eighth, but the Lions were able to get three hits off Mark Spreckels getting the extra inning victory.
Schulze and Schrader each had three hits in the contest while Schulze had three RBI and two runs scored. Spreckels got the loss going 2/3 of an inning givng up two hist and one earned run. He falls to 2-2 with the loss.
The Lions had 18 hits off the Griffons with leadoff hitter Michael McCoy going 4-for-6 with a run scored. Doughty went 3-for-5 with two RBI while Helsel went 2-for-5 with three RBI.
The Lions used five pitchers in the game. Starter Brett Abell went 6.1 innings giving up 10 hits and four earned runs while striking out 10. Ryan Bates got the victroy going 1.2 innings. He improves to 6-1 with the victory.
Game 2
MWSU 8, MSSU 4
In game two, Missouri Western got a complete game from Ethan Ward as he scattered 11 Missouri Southern hits while striking out four and walking just one. He improves to 3-3 with the victory.
The Griffons jumped out to a 5-1 lead after scoring four runs in the first inning. That would be all the Griffons would need to get the victory. They had 10 hits in the game which included two home runs.
Grant Fink hit is 13th homer of the season while Shawn Egge smacked his fourth. Bubba Dotson, Fink and Egge all had two hits with a combinded five run scored and three RBI.
The Lions fall to 29-18 on the season and 23-16 in MIAA play. They had 11 hits with Doughty going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Sam Ryan went 2-for-4 with a two run homer while three other Lions had two hits in the contest.
Ryan Bates falls to 6-2 on the season as he went just 1/3 of an inning giving up two hits and four earned runs. David Reese went 4.2 innings giving up five hist and two earned runs.
The Griffons will open up the first round of the MIAA Tournament with a three game series against the 8th seed in the MIAA (which is still to be determined). The first game will be on Thursday, May 2 at 6:00 pm at the Griffon Baseball Field.
— MWSU Sports Information —