ST. JOSEPH – Taylor Hamilton hit three home runs, two of them walk-off game winners as the 22nd-ranked Missouri Western softball team (28-10, 13-3 MIAA) swept a doubleheader from Fort Hays State on Saturday.

Game 1: #22 MWSU 7, Fort Hays State 5

Hamilton was the hero as her two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh capped a three-run inning for the win. Down three in the final frame, Morgan Rathmann led off with her 18th career triple, tying a Griffon Softball record. Shelbie Atwell drove in Rathmann with a fielder’s choice. Atwell reached on the play as the throw went home, but didn’t get the speedy Rathmann. That put Hamilton at the plate with the winning run on first. The freshman blasted the first pitch deep to left field for the game one winner.

Hamilton went 2-4 in the game with three RBIs. Rathmann was 3-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Janie Smith moved to 15-7 on the season with the win, allowing five runs on four hits with seven strikeouts.

Game 2: #22 MWSU 12, Fort Hays State 3 (6 innings)

Hamilton hit two home runs in game two, including the clincher in the bottom of the sixth. Her second of the game came in the fifth when she hit a three-run shot to left. That’s when the unthinkable began. For the second time in five days, Kailey Green and Katie Klosterman followed a three-run Hamilton home run with solo shots of their own. The three-straight round trippers put Missouri Western up 9-2.

Fort Hays added one in the sixth then Hamilton delivered the knockout punch with her third home run of the day and 10th RBI, a three-run shot to center field. Hamilton finished game two 3-4 and tied a program record with seven RBIs. On the day, the freshman designated player was 5-8 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and four runs scored.

Paige Shifflett was 2-3 with three runs scored in game two. Green went 2-3 as did Klosterman. Shyanne Saladino picked up the win, improving to 13-3 on the year. Rathmann broke and MWSU career record with her 19th triple in the sixth inning.

The Griffons host Nebraska-Kearney in a doubleheader on Sunday. The Lopers were swept in a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State on Friday and enter 14-22, 5-13 in MIAA play.

— MWSU Athletics —