The Missouri Western softball team opened play in the Kelly Laas Invitational with a 3-0 victory over Concordia-St. Paul in the Husky Dome. It was the third shutout of the season for Jackie Bishop as she improves to 5-1 overall while the Griffons improve to 8-3 overall.

In a pitchers dual neither team could get anything going offensively. The Golden Bears got a lead off hit by Tessa Ewert in the third inning but a pop up to first base and two strikeouts ended any threat the Golden Bears may have had.

In the first four innings the Griffons would strand a Bre Fleschner lead off walk and then in the fourth Fleschner led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. She would be stranded at second after Michelle Stevenson bunted her over to second.

The Griffons finally got something going in the fifth when Brooke Schaben led off with a single through the left side. The hit was the Griffons first of the game. Taylor Anding followed that up with a walk and then pinch runner Shelby Elliott and Anding advanced to second and third on a while pitch. Two batters later Morgan Rathmann singled in Elliott giving the Griffons the 1-0 lead. Fleschner reached on an error by CSP shortstop which scored two Griffon runs giving the them the 3-0 lead after five innings of play.

In the sixth and seventh the Golden Bears led off the inning with singles with both being stranded on base. Michelle Stevenson made a great diving play at second ending the game and dropping the Golden Bears to 0-1.

Bishop went all seven innings giving up just three hits while striking out eight. For Concordia-St. Paul Stephanie Kappes went 6.0 innings giving up two hits and one earned run while striking out four. Jamie Fleischacker, Ewert and Cassie Bertelsen each had hits in the game.

The Griffons will return to play Saturday at noon when they take on the Wayne State College Wildcats.

— MWSU Sports Information —