EMPORIA, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team (32-22) fell to Central Oklahoma (34-20-1) 5-2 in an elimination game at the NCAA central regional Friday night. The loss ends the Griffons season after qualifying for back-to-back NCAA tournaments for the first time in program history.

NOTABLES
– Central Oklahoma took advantage of an early error but Missouri Western’s defense would limit the threat to just one run in the top of the third inning

– Alex Heuring tied the game at 1-1 as he scored on a Nick Gawley single to center field in the bottom of the third inning

– A sacrifice fly from Andrew Curry allowed David Glaude to put the Griffons up 2-1 in the sixth inning

– Nate Hunter retired 16 straight batters from the top of the 3rd inning to the top of 8th inning for Missouri Western

– Logan Marston led off the bottom of the eighth inning but MWSU would strand him at third base in the bottom of the eighth inning

– Three consecutive hits with two outs in the top of the ninth inning gave the Bronchos the lead 5-2

TOP PERFORMERS
– Nate Hunter tossed 8 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and allowed only one walk

– Nick Gawley was 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI

– Central Oklahoma’s Kyle Miskovsky went 3-for-4 with two runs scored

– J.D. Cameron threw 7 1/3 innings for the Bronchos allowing two runs with five strikeouts

— MWSU Athletics —