The Missouri Western softball team continued MIAA play splitting with the Central Missouri Jennies on Friday afternoon. The Griffons picked up a 6-2 victory in game one before falling 7-6 in walk off fashion in game two. The Griffons were led on the day by Tiffany Gillaspy going 5-for-8 with three runs scored and two RBI. Freshman Sydney Washington went 3-for-7 with three runs scored and four RBI while fellow freshman Morgan Rathmann went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. The Griffons are 12-10 overall and 2-6 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MWSU 6
UCM 2

the Griffons pounded out 11 hits using home runs by Sydney Washington and Tiffany Gillaspy picking up a 6-2 victory. Despite committing four errors in the contest the Griffons were able to strand eight Jennies on base. Jackie Bishop picked up her eighth victory of the season going all seven innings giving up seven hits and striking out seven and walking just one.

The Griffons got on the board in the first getting three hits. Washington and Gillaspy got back-to-back hits and then Brooke Schaben singled them in with two outs giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead. UCM battled right back as Braylyn Bivens led off with a double and scored on an Alex Gregor double cutting the Griffons lead to 2-1.

The score stayed that way until the third when Washington led off with her fourth homer of the season giving the Griffons the 3-1 lead. In the fourth the Jennies got a homer from Kristen Heil cutting the Griffons lead to 3-2 after four innings.

In the 5th the Griffons responded when Gillaspy hit her 5th homer of the season giving the Griffons the 4-2 lead. The Jennies put runners on in the fifth and sixth but the Griffons got out of the jam. In the 7th MWSU got back-to-back hits from Gillaspy and Kailey Green and they both scored on a throwing error by UCM pitcher Jackie Prater giving MWSU the 6-2 lead.

That was all the Griffons would need as they won 6-2. Gillaspy led the way getting with four hits and three runs scored while Washington, Schaben and Morgan Rathmann all had two hits.

UCM had seven hits with Gregor leading the way with three hits. Jakki Prater went all seven innings giving up 11 hits and four earned run with two strikouts. She falls to 6-3 on the season.

Game 2
UCM 7
MWSU 6 (8 innings)

Missouri Western got on the board first in the second inning, scoring four times off of UCM starter, Katie Shockley. Three two out hits by the Griffons which included a two RBI single by Washington sparked the Griffons four run inning.

UCM responded with five runs of its own in the bottom half of the second, led by a three-run homerun off the bat of Prater. In the third Braylyn Bivens, singled home Jessica Neely bumping the Jennies’ lead to 6-4.

Missouri Western knotted the game up in the top of the seventh, via a sacrifice fly by Washington and an throwing error on Heil.

The Jennies won the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after Lindsey Dawson led the inning off with a single and scored on a double to left centerfield by Groeger.

Shockley picked up her second straight win improving to 2-1. The junior went all eight innings, allowing seven hits on six runs (four earned), walking four and fanning five batters. UCM improves to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in MIAA play. Bivens had three hits while Dawson, Groeger, Prater and Ali Jo Rogers all had two.

Janie Smith struggled in the circle going just 2.1 innings giving up seven hits. She did not get much help from her defense as she gave up just one earned run. Bishop picked up the loss going 4.2 innings giving five hits and one earned run with three strikeouts. The Griffons had seven hits with Rathmann leading the way with two hits and two runs scored.

The Griffons return to MIAA play on Saturday, March 15 with a doubleheader against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats in Bolivar, Mo. Game time is set for 1 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —