Griffons beat Minnesota Duluth 5-2 in first round of NCAA Tournament

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team relied on smart base running, and took advantage of some Minnesota Duluth defensive miscues, on the way to its first win in the opening game of an NCAA regional since 2005, 5-2.

After Minnesota Duluth scored one in the first, the Griffons answered with two in the bottom half and never trailed again. Missouri Western will await the winner of second seeded Southern Arkansas and seventh seeded Central Oklahoma. That game will be played at 1 p.m. on Friday.

HOW THEY SCORED
Morgan Rathmann led off the game with a single, then got to third on a sacrifice bunt by Shelbie Atwell and a throwing error by the second baseman. She scored on a wild pitch: 1-1, bot1
Katie Klsoterman singled through the left side to drive in Taylor Hamilton from third: 2-1, bot1
Megan Korgie scored on a sacrifice foul out by Paige Shiflett: 3-1 bot2
Korgie stole second on a double steal that also got Rathmann to second: 4-1 bot4
Rathmann scored from second on a throwing error by the centerfielder after Atwell flew out to center: 5-1 bot4

IN THE BOX SCORE
Rathmann reached three times, finishing 2-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Katie Klosterman went 2-3 at the plate with an RBI. Megan Korgie was 2-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Janie Smith pitched all seven innings and moved to 23-8 on the season, allowing seven hits and two earned runs. Despite, three Minnesota Duluth errors, all but one Missouri Western run were earned. The Griffons stranded nine runners on base, Minnesota Duluth left seven.

NOTABLES
It was the first opening round win in an NCAA regional for the program since its first regional appearance in 2005, seven straight opening round losses.
It was also the team’s first regional win since the second game of the 2014 regional, 5-0 vs. Southern Arkansas.
Morgan Rathmann picked up her 76th career stolen base and now needs just seven more to break the all-time record at Missouri Western held by Mandie Nocita (Berneking).
The win extended a season-long winning streak for Missouri Western to 10 games.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western will face the winner of Southern Arkansas vs. Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. on Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —