ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Griffon Softball (3-1) avoided a late scare from the host school to end the final day of the Kelly Laas Memorial Invite with a 9-8 win over St. Cloud State (1-1).

Missouri Western looked like it was going to cruise to its second win of the day after scoring six runs in the top of the sixth to take a 9-2 lead, but the Huskies answered with six runs of their own in the bottom half of the sixth. Starter Kenzie Hilzer re-entered with no outs in the sixth and MWSU leading by one. She retired three of the next four and worked around some trouble in the seventh to get her first win of the season.

NOTABLES

• Griffon batters combined for 13 hits in the game after totaling 19 through the first three games of the season
• The Griffons got three in the first after the first five Griffs reached base in the game
• Missouri Western really turned on the offense in the sixth, batting around in an inning that included six runs on five hits
• After retiring the first two batters in the seventh, Hilzer hit a batter then gave up a double
• With runners on second and third, Hilzer walked the next batter to load the bases with two out
• She coaxed a ground out to second to secure the win

LEADERS

• Morgan Frost went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored
• Shelby Uhl broke out for two hits, two RBIs and two runs
• Gabi Carter continued her hot start, driving in two
• Emma Hoffart also had a good weekend at the plate, going 2-for-4 in game two with an RBI
• Lauren Houston was 2-for-4 with a stolen base
• Hilzer struck out six in seven innings of work. She allowed two earned runs on six hits

UP NEXT

• The Griffons travel to Bentonville, Arkansas next weekend
• Missouri Western will play four games over two days in the Arkansas-Monticello DII Challenge, beginning with Arkansas Tech and Ouachita Baptist on Feb. 9.

— MWSU Athletics —