ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western softball team split a doubleheader with Washburn Thursday to move their record to 33-15 on the year and 17-7 in the MIAA.
GAME 1: Washburn 4, MWSU 3 (9 innings)
The Griffons lost an extra inning game, giving up two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and then losing on a solo home run in the top of the ninth.
Leading 3-1 in the seventh, Janie Smith gave up a solo home run to lead off the inning. The next batter reached on an error by Katie Klosterman. Smith retired the next batter with a fly out to center then a single from the next batter put two on with one out. A sacrifice fly brought in Washburn’s second run and tied the game at three.
Bekah Mueller led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk but the next three Griffons were retired to force extra innings. Neither team scored in the eighth and Smith retired the first batter of the ninth with a groundout. Then came the dagger, with a solo home run to right center that put Washburn up 4-3. The first two Griffon batters in the bottom of the ninth grounded out before Brooke Schaben reached on an error. Morgan Rathmann ended it with a ground out to the pitcher.
Washburn scored first with a run in the top of the fifth. The Griffons answered and took the lead with three in the bottom half of the inning.
Smith took the loss, going nine innings and giving up four runs – three earned – on nine hits. She struck out six and walked four. Her record dropped to 16-8 on the year. Rathmann went 2-5 at the plate while Kailey Green was 2-4.
GAME 2: MWSU 9, Washburn 4
The Griffon bats woke up in the second game of the day, getting two runs in the second and four in the third to take a 6-2 lead. MWSU tacked on two more in the sixth and survived a little threat in the top of the seventh to win 9-4.
Washburn jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a solo home run off Shyanne Saladino in the second but an RBI single by Mueller and a sac fly from Rathmann gave MWSU a 2-1 lead after two. Washburn tied it up in the top of the third before the Griffons got four in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-2 lead.
Shelbie Atwell got things started in the third with an RBI single. Then Brooke Schaben pushed a run in with a bases loaded walk. Rathmann and Tiffany Gillaspy followed with RBI singles to give the Griffs a more comfortable lead. Atwell would drive in two more in the fourth with an RBI single and an RBI double. She finished the game 3-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Rathmann, Gillaspy, Paige Shifflett and Sydney Washington all had two-hit games. Saladino was solid, moving to 17-7 on the season. She went the distance allowing four runs, just one earned, on eight hits.
The Griffons are scheduled to host their final two regular season games on Saturday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader against Emporia State.
— MWSU Sports Information —