The Missouri Western baseball team split a pair of games at 24th-ranked Central Missouri Friday evening. The Griffons won the first game 8-2 before dropping the second game 14-6.
Game One: MWSU 8, UCM 2
In the first game, the Griffons jumped on the board early, scoring four runs to take the advantage. David Chew’s three-run bomb came after Trevor LaHonta scored from a sac bunt by Ryan Degner.
Central Missouri put two runs on the board to cut the Griffons’ lead in half, but Missouri Western added single runs in the top of the third and fourth to lead 6-2.
In the sixth inning, Degner doubled to score LaHonta, who singled to right field just before which pulled in a run by Jerico Burasco.
LaHonta went 3 of 4 with 2 RBI and Chew went 2 of 4 with four RBI to lead the Griffons. Grant Woods picked up the win in 4.2 innings of work. He is now 4-2 on the year.
Game Two: UCM 14, MWSU 6
The Griffons fell behind a run after two innings, and after coming from behind to take a 2-1 lead after three-and-a-half innings, the Mules topped the Griffons in game two.
Central Missouri scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth and another six runs in the fifth inning as the Mules won 14-6. They had 11 hits and only one error through the second game.
The Griffons added four runs in the top of the eighth inning after falling behind 10-2 after five. Mitch Thorman nailed a grand slam in the inning which helped Missouri Western cut the Mules’ lead in half, but Central Missouri regrouped in the bottom half of the eighth inning.
Central Missouri scored four runs to go back ahead eight, and that’s how the game would end.
Ryan Degner had two hits to lead the Griffons. Central Missouri was led by three players with multiple hits, including Tony Sandifer, who had two homers in the game.
The Griffons are now 24-15 and 20-11 in the conference. Central Missouri is 29-13 and 26-7 in the MIAA.
Missouri Western and Central Missouri return to action tomorrow in another double header. The two squads will start at 1 p.m. in a seven-inning game with a nine inning following shortly afterward.
— MWSU Sports Information —