ST. JOSEPH – Nolan Meyer delivered the Missouri Western baseball team its ninth-straight win with a walk-off bunt single in the 11th inning against Emporia State on Tuesday. The Griffons defeated the Hornets 7-6 as they improve to 14-9 and 7-3 in the MIAA.
Meyer’s game winner seemed improbable after the Griffons failed to get down successful bunt attempts for three-straight innings prior to his hit. The game winning hit was set up by Dusty Stroup’s leadoff single in the 11th. Casey Danley tried to bunt Stroup over but popped up to the first baseman. Will Jibas got Stroup to third on a hit and run single and set up Meyer’s bunt toward first base that won the game 7-6 on Meyer’s head-first dive into the bag.
After tying the game at six in the bottom of the ninth, Missouri Western had runners at second and third with nobody out, but couldn’t get the winning run across the plate. Meyer led off the 10th by being hit by a pitch before Levi Schreiner reached on an error giving MWSU two on with no outs. Ryan Smith struck out in a pinch hit at bat before two infield pop ups ended the threat.
After blowing a save opportunity by giving up four runs in the top of the ninth, Nate Hunter settled in to hold the Hornets scoreless over the final 2 1/3 on three hits with two strikeouts. Hunter picked up the win (6-2), his fifth in relief during the team’s nine-game win streak.
Emporia State led 2-0 after one inning. Meyer scored the tying run in the fourth on an RBI-single by Ryan Fisher. Emporia State scored four in the top of the ninth to take a 6-4 lead but an RBI triple by Brooks Day and an RBI-single from Casey Danley sent the game into extra innings.
NOTABLES
– Missouri Western moved to 3-0 in extra-inning games this season
– It’s the second straight year the program had a nine-game win streak after last year’s Griffons rattled off nine-straight MIAA wins between April 9th and 23rd
– Meyer had a team high three hits, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI
– Fisher drove in two as the starting designated hitter on a 2-for-2 day with a walk
– Stroup also drove in a pair and went 2-for-5
– Day also went 2-for-5 at the plate with one RBI
– Levi Abrahmson and Kellan Richards combined to retire 12-straight Hornets between the fifth and the eighth innings
– Hunter went 3 1/3 allowing four earned runs on seven hits
– Preston Bailey pitched the first three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits. He struck out one and walked three
– After starting conference play 0-3, the Griffons left Tuesday’s win in third place in the MIAA standings
UP NEXT
The Griffons put their streak on the line in a three-game, home MIAA series against Pittsburg State (16-9, 8-5). The series is currently scheduled to begin on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
— MWSU Athletics —