ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – After a home run fest on Friday to sweep Lindenwood, the 17th-ranked Missouri Western softball team pecked away at Lincoln on Saturday to sweep another doubleheader and run their win streak to 16 games. The wins improved the team’s record to 25-9 overall and 10-2 in the MIAA.
GAME 1: MWSU 8, Lincoln 0 (5 innings)
The Griffs broke a scoreless tie in the second with two runs, added another in the third, three in the fourth and two in the fifth to end game one early with an 8-0 win.
Shelbie Atwell picked up one of her two RBIs in the game, driving in Paige Shifflett with a single up the middle to put the home team up 1-0. Megan Korgie followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Katie Klosterman. In the third, Sydney Washington grounded out to short, scoring Tiffany Gillaspy. Korgie picked up her second and third RBIs of the game in the fourth on a single down the right field line and Morgan Rathmann’s triple in the fourth put MWSU up 6-0. Atwell pushed across another in the fifth and ended the game when she scored on an error by the short stop that allowed Morgan Rathmann to reach.
Janie Smith picked up the win, moving to 12-5 on the year. Kaylie Green went 2-3. Klosterman also was 2-3 with two runs scored and Atwell went 2-3 with two driven in and two runs scored.
GAME 2: MWSU 9, Lincoln 0 (5 innings)
Shyanne Saladino was perfect through the first four innings as the Griffons scored nine, and won another shortened game to move their win streak to 16 games.
Saladino allowed just one hit, a leadoff single in the fifth as she went five innings and picked up the win to move to 13-4 on the year. Her team gave her a big boost, taking an 8-0 lead after two innings with a six-run second. The six-run inning got started with Rebekah Mueller’s first career home run. It was a two-run shot down the right field line that also brought Brooke Schaben home.
Rathmann went 2-3 in game two with three runs scored. Gillaspy was 2-3 with two driven in and two scored. Sydney Washington also went 2-3 in game two and Klosterman was 2-2.
The Griffons improved to 14-0 at home in their 12th straight at the Spring Sports Complex. They hit the road next week, beginning with a non-conference doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday. The first pitch of game one is set for 2:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM and on StJosephPost.com.
— MWSU Sports Information —