WINONA, Minn. – The Missouri Western softball team dropped a back and forth battle in the first round of the NCAA Central Regional falling 8-7 against #23 Augustana College. The Griffons had eight hits in the game with Sydney Washington going 2-for-3 with a run scored. The Griffons will take on Southern Arkansas in an elimination game on Saturday, May 10 at 3:30 pm. The winner will take on the loser of Winona State and Augustana at 6 pm tomorrow night.
The Griffons were able to score runs in three of the seven innings but the Vikings scored in five of the seven. The Griffons got on the board in the first as Bre Fleschner and Washington led off with back-to-back singles. The Griffons loaded the bases when Tiffany Gillaspy walked. Fleschner scored on a wild pitch and Washington scored on a ground out by Taylor Anding giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead.
The Vikings responded scoring the next three runs which included a two run homer by Jenelle Troutman in the first inning which tied the score at two. The Vikings took the lead in the second when Troutman got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded giving Augie the 3-2 lead after two.
In the third the Griffons tied the score as Gillaspy led off getting hit by a pitch. She later scored on a passed ball tying the score at three. The score stayed that way until the 4th when Trautman blasted her second homer of the game giving the Vikings the 4-3 lead after four innings.
Missouri Western responded in the 5th getting three hits and four runs taking a 7-4 lead. Kat Steponovich blasted her 8th homer of the season in the inning while Gillaspy and Anding also had singles in the frame.
Things looked good for the Griffons as they shut down the Vikings in the 5th but in the 6th Augustana got their third homer of the game. This time the Griffons walked Trautman in order to get to Lindsay Spanton. Spanton took an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence tying the score at seven after the 6th.
The Griffons went down in order in the 7th and with two outs in the bottom of the 7th Sarah Kennedy hit a walk off homer downing Missouri Western.
The Vinkings improve to 44-13 on the season as they had 1- hits. Kennedy went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI while Trautmann went 2-for-2 with four RBI. Trautmann also went 3.2 innings giving up five hits and three earned runs while Carley Pickett got the win going 3.1 innings giving up three hits and three earned runs. She improves to 16-6 with the victory.
Jackie Bishop got the loss for the Griffons going 6.2 innings giving up 10 hits and eight earned runs. She walked five and struck out five in the game. She falls to 25-9 with the loss.
— MWSU Sports Information —