St. Charles, Mo. – Fourth seeded Missouri Western forced a second game with second seeded Emporia State winning 6-5 in the MIAA Baseball Tournament.

Emporia State struck first in the top of the third inning as Dalton Wheat doubled down the right field line to score Taylor Steen. Derek Francis followed that up with a single that scored Wheat later in the inning.

Missouri Western would answer in the bottom of the third as Nick Gawley hit a solo shot over the left field fence. The Griffons would then tie it up as Brandon Downs homered to nearly the same spot in the bottom of the sixth inning. They kept the scoring going as later in the inning Ozzie Rodriguez drove in a run with a single and Fisher brought one home on a fielder’s choice to make it a 4-2 lead.

They tacked on two more in the inning using a David Glaude single and a Kody Matthews fielders choice to drive in runs and make it a 6-2 lead heading into the seventh inning.

Emporia State would make it interesting in the top of the ninth as Dalton Wheat drove in a run with a single. Derek Francis was then hit a pitch to drive home a run and Koehler added another on a fielders choice.

For the Griffons Gawley finished two for four with a run scored and a run driven in. For Emporia State Wheat finished three for five with two runs scored and two runs driven in.

On the mound Preston Bailey pitched the final five innings striking out six to pick up the win while Conner Schwienbart recorded the final two outs to earn the save.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. with a berth in the MIAA Championship Game on the line from the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.

— MIAA Press Release —