The Missouri Western softball team picked up two victories on the opening day of the 8-State Classic being held in Bentonville, Ark. The Griffons won game one 5-3 against Southwestern Oklahoma State before ending with a 2-0 victory over the Upper Iowa Peacocks. The Griffons got solid pitching performances from Janie Smith and Jackie Bishop while Sydney Washington and Bre Fleschner each picked up three hits. The Griffons improve to 4-2 on the season and will take on Ouachita Baptist at 9:30 am and William Jewell at 3:30 pm tomorrow.

Game 1
MWSU 5, SWOSU 3
The Griffons got going early against the Bulldogs scoring a run in the first inning. Fleschner led off the game with a double and later scored on a Tiffany Gillaspy single giving the Griffons a 1-0 lead. They tacked on three more in the second getting three hits. Taylor Anding scored on an error and Kat Stephonvich scored on a Sydney Washington single giving the Griffons a 3-0 lead after two.

The Bulldogs came storming back in their half of the third plating two runs on two hits cutting the Griffon lead to 3-2 after three. Once again the Griffons remained calm and scored the next two runs giving them a 5-2 lead heading to the bottom of the fifth. Shelby Elliott pinch ran for Smith and then scored on a Wahington double in the fourth and in the fifth Kailey Green scored on an error by the shortstop giving the Griffons the three run cushion.

Smith gave up a homer in late as the Bulldogs cut the final score to 5-3. The Griffons had 10 hits in the game with Washington going 3-for-3 with two RBI while Fleschner had two hits and a run scored. Smith went all five innings giving up just five hits while striking out the final batter of the game. Smith improves to 2-1 with the victory.

The Bulldogs fall to 1-2 while Mallory Davis falls to 0-2 in the circle giving up 10 hits with one strikeout. Makensy Payne went 1-2 with an RBI and a runs scored for the Bulldogs.

Game 2
MWSU 2, UIU 0
In game two the Griffons did not need many runs as Bishop controlled the game in the circle giving up just two runners in the game. She gave up one hit and walked one while striking out nine to improve to 2-1 on the season.

The Griffons got the game winning run in the 4th when as Kailey Green doubled to left field and later scored on a two out double by Michelle Stevenson giving the Griffons the 1-0 lead after four. In the 6th the Griffons were able to push across another run as Gillaspy singled leading off the inning and later scored on a passed ball giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead.

That would be all the Griffons would need as Bishop set the Peacocks down in order in the final inning.

The Griffons had six hits with six different players getting a hit.

The Peacocks fall to 1-2 on the season as Jacqueline Flood picked up the loss. She falls to 0-2 with the loss.

— MWSU Sports Information —