PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team wrapped up a four-game series at Pittsburg State by splitting a doubleheader in two extra-inning games Sunday. The two teams battled back and forth in all four games, each winning two. The Griffons return to St. Joseph, 13-7 overall and 9-3 in the MIAA.
GAME 1: MWSU 10, PSU 9 (8 innings)
Dylon Koch drove in six of the Griffons’ final seven runs in a comeback win during the first game of the doubleheader
In a seesaw battle, the Griffons trailed 8-3 going into the fifth. Koch hit a three-run home run in the fifth to make it an 8-6 Pittsburg State lead. He homered again in the seventh, this time a two-run shot that tied the game at eight. In the eighth, Andy Rieth hit a sacrifice fly that put MWSU up 9-8 and Koch drew a bases loaded walk that pushed the 10th run home. The Gorillas threatened to prolong, or win the game in the bottom of the eighth but bullpen specialist, Richard Peoples wiggled out of the jam, allowing one run, and picking up his fourth win of the year (4-0), all in relief.
The Griffons led 1-0 after one inning on Cody Childs’ solo home run in the first but Pitt took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the second. MWSU jumped back in front in the third, getting and RBI double from David Glaude and an RBI single from Cosimo Cannella that put the Griffons on top, 3-2. The Gorillas answered with three in the bottom of the third to jump ahead, 6-3, and made it a five run lead in the fourth.
Koch finished 2-3 with six RBIs and two runs scored. Childs was 2-4 with one batted in and three runs scored. Mitch Thorman was 2-4 with two runs scored. Peoples went the final two innings, allowing one run and one hit. A.J. Martinez got the start and went two and two thirds, allowing five runs on seven hits.
GAME 2: PSU 8, MWSU 5 (8 innings)
Peoples suffered his first loss of the season, allowing a one-out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth that gave the Gorillas an 8-5 win and a split in the doubleheader and four-game series.
In yet another back-and-forth game, MWSU took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh with a two-RBI double by Childs but PSU tied it in the bottom half of the inning to force extras. Buzz Verduzco was ejected in the bottom of the seventh after arguing balls and strikes. David Glaude put the Griffons up 5-4 in the top of the eighth with a solo home run, his sixth of the season. Andrew Ramirez drew a walk two batters later and advanced to second on a wild pitch during a Koch strikeout. Ramirez made it to third on another wild pitch with Ryan Degner at the plate but Degner would pop up the end the half inning.
Peoples struck out the leadoff batter but then gave up two straight singles and a passed ball allowed both runners to advance. After an intentional walk, Andrew Vogelbaugh ended the game with a grand slam.
No Griffon finished with more than one hit, totaling eight in the game as a team. Banks Born went the first four innings, giving up three runs – two of them earned – on five hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.
Missouri Western will return to the Spring Sports Complex for a single game with Central Missouri on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Due to MIAA scheduling, the contest will be considered a non-conference game.
— MWSU Sports Information —