The Missouri Western baseball team picked up two important wins behind solid pitching on Saturday afternoon against the Lincoln Blue Tigers. The Griffons won game one 6-3 and held on in game two with a 4-3 victory. Griffon pitching struckout 15 Blue Tigers and gave up just four earned runs. The Griffons improve to 17-14 overall and 13-11 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MWSU 6
LU 3
In game one the Griffons got solid pitching from Grant Woods and Tyler Sanders as they combined for the 6-3 victory. Woods went 3.2 innings giving up five hits and one earned run while striking out five while Sanders went 3.1 innings giving up three hits and one earned run with two strikeouts. Sanders picked up the victory improving to 3-2 on the season.

In game one the Griffons got on the board first in the second inning when Jake Schrader doubled to right field and scored on a fielding error by the left fielder off a Hunter Weiss single. The score stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the 3rd when the Blue Tigers used two hits and an error plating one.

The Griffons responded in the 4th with three hits and two runs. David Chew and Schrader led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Chew scored on a single up the middle by Jeremy Monty and Schrader scored on a wild pitch giving the Griffons the 3-1 lead. The Blue Tigers scored one in the 5th but in the seventh a two RBI double by Schrader helped the Griffons to a 6-2 lead going into the bottom of the 7th.

Lincoln got one run on two hits but that would be all for the Tigers falling in the game. LU had eight hits with James Earlywine leading the way going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Ryan Simpson got the loss going four innings giing up five hist and two earned runs with four strikeouts.

Scharder went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored while Trevor LaHonta went 2-for-4 in the contest.

Game 2
MWSU 4
LU 3
In game two the Griffons got a solid outing from Josh Lansangan picking up his first win of the season. He went 6.2 innings giving up five hits and one earned run while striking out a career best eight. Mason Queen got his first save of the season going 1.2 innings giving up one hits and walking two.

Once again the Griffons got on the board first as Schrader blasted his ninth homer of the season giving the Griffons the 1-0 lead. Once again the Blue Tigers responded taking their first lead of the day in teh second on one hit. Kaleb Davis hit an RBI double and then scored later in the inning on a throwing error by Cody Childs giving LU the 2-1 lead after two innings.

The Griffons tied the score at two in the 4th as Ryan Degner singles to right field and stole his ninth base of the season. He then scored on a single by Schrader tying the score.

In the 7th the Griffons regained the lead on back-to-back doubles by Will Carter and Hunter Weiss. The second run of the inning came on a sac fly by Childs giving MWSU the 4-2 lead after seven innings. In the 8th the Blue Tigers got three straight singles plating a run before Davis hit into a inning ending double play.

After getting the first two outs in the 9th Queen gave up a single and two walks before getting a bases loaded groundout by LU ending the game.

The Griffons had seven hits with Degner and Schrader each getting two. The Blue Tigers had nine hits with Zach Roberts and Josh Kennedy each getting two. Nathan Lueckenhoff got the loss going six innings. He gave up six hits and four earned runs falling to 0-6 on the season. LU falls to 1-25 overall and 0-22 in MIAA play.

The two teams will play the final two games of the series tomorrow in Jefferson City, Mo. Game time is set for 12:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —