TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Griffon Baseball swept a doubleheader at Northeastern State (2-18, 1-7), Thursday, to move to 9-6 overall and 7-1 in the MIAA.

The Griffons held off a late rally in game one and outdueled the RiverHawks in a game two pitching battle. The games count as road contests since they were played at Northeastern State, but because the games were originally scheduled to be at Missouri Western, the Griffons played as the home team in both games and will in the series finale on Friday.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 10, Northeastern State 8

• MWSU led 10-4 heading to the ninth, but Northeastern State got a sacrifice fly and a two-out three-run home run to pull within two
• Levi Abrahamson came in and got the final out to save the victory
• Jacob Purl didn’t allow a hit until the RiverHawks hit two, two-out home runs in the fifth
• Purl struck out nine and held NSU to three hits through five innings to get the win and move to 2-0 on the season
• Kellan Richards struck out seven of the first 10 batters he faced, but gave up all four runs in the ninth, none of them earned
• Purl and Richards combined to break an MWSU single-game record, striking out eight batters looking
• Conrad McMahon led off the game with a solo home run down the left field line. McMahon went 3-for-3 in the game with four runs scored, an RBI and walked once
• Jordan Jackson hit a two-run home run in the first and finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs
• Nolan Monthei was 3-for-4 in the game
• Dusty Stroup drove in two and was 2-for-5

GAME 2
Missouri Western 3, Northeastern State 1

• McMahon stayed hot and drove in the game-winning run in the seventh, a double down the right field line that scored Monthei who had struck out, but reached on a passed ball
• That double in the seventh was one of five for the Griffons in the game, including two by Stroup
• After allowing three hits and a run in the first, reigning MIAA and NCBWA Central Region Pitcher of the Year Anthony Castaneda held Northeastern State to just two hits over the next six innings
• Castaneda moved to 4-0 on the year with seven strikeouts and just the one run allowed over seven innings
• McMahon’s double ended the day for NSU starter Jonathan Smithey who struck out 10 and gave up one earned run, two total, through 6 1/3
• Casey Danley went 2-for-3 with a run scored
• McMahon was 2-for-4 in game two with an RBI
• Stroup went 2-for-4 with a run scored

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western goes for the series sweep on Friday at 1 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Griffon Softball (11-8, 1-1) got out of Tahlequah, Oklahoma with a doubleheader split with a pesky Northeastern State (11-10, 1-1) team.

Northeastern State spoiled a game one comeback by the Griffons with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to win 6-5. In game two, the Griffs had to hold off a late charge by Northeastern State to escape with a 13-10 victory. Gabi Carter hit three home runs in the doubleheader, including two in game one.

GAME 1
Northeastern State 6, Missouri Western 5

• The Griffons scored two in the top of the seventh and kept NSU off the plate in the bottom half to force extra innings
• Kaili Hinds (3-2) took the loss, facing one batter in the ninth and allowing the game-winning home run
• Gabi Carter bookended the scoring for the Griffons with home runs. She hit a solo shot in the first and tied the game with a two-run bomb in the seventh
• Missouri Western had 13 hits in the game and was not charged with an error in the game while Northeastern State committed two
• Tamara Hicks went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double
• Carter drove in three with the two home runs
• Emma Hoffart also homered and went 2-for-4
• Brea Banton was 2-for-5 at the plate
• Shelby Uhl went 2-for-3

GAME 2
Missouri Western 13, Northeastern State 10

• The Griffons led 10-2 headed to the bottom of the fifth, but couldn’t clinch a run-rule victory, allowing three NSU runs in the bottom half
• MWSU added two more runs in the top of the seventh, but NSU threatened to erase the big lead with five runs in the bottom of the seventh
• Olivia Goodale ended the game with a strikeout with two runners
• Three Northeastern State errors and eight walks helped the Griffons score 13 runs on 12 hits
• Gabi Carter homered again as did Taylor Hoelscher
• Morgan Frost and Blanton each doubled
• Frost went 3-for-5 with three runs scored
• Carter drove in three in game two and on the day was 4-for-7 with three home runs and six RBIs
• Uhl had two more hits in game two
• Hinds rebounded to get the win, allowing two runs on three hits

UP NEXT

• The Griffons head to No. 8 Central Oklahoma (18-1, 2-0) for a doubleheader on Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —