PITTSBURG, Kan. – Situational hitting in the late innings and a shutdown performance on the mound helped the Missouri Western baseball team (18-15, 15-10) to its fourth-straight win, 7-3 over Pittsburg State (21-18, 13-12) Thursday night.

The Griffons scored five runs over the final three frames to help get Thomas Ruwe a win in his second career start. Ruwe improved on his impressive first start last week against Northwest Missouri, holding Pittsburg State to one hit over eight innings with eight strikeouts and just two walks.

During the team’s four-game win streak, the Griffons have scored 24 runs in the sixth inning or later.

NOTABLES

• The Gorillas took a 2-0 lead on a home run off Ruwe in the second. The only allowed one more base runner over his next six innings.
• A 2-2 game through six innings, the Griffons scored five over the final three frames with a Brooks Day home run in the seventh, two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth
• Chas Verduzco got a two-out rally started in the ninth with a two-out single up the middle
• The Griffons sent four more to the plate in the ninth, getting RBI singles from Casey Danley and Dusty Stroup
• Andrew Curry shot a ball to right with one out in the eight to get Fahd Shakeel home from third
• Brooks Day laid down a bunt one batter later to get Stroup home
• Levi Abrahamson gave up a run on two hits and a walk in the ninth, but struck out the other three batters he faced to preserve the win for Ruwe
• Missouri Western out-hit Pitt State 11-3 and didn’t commit an error
• The Griffons stole three bases in the game

UP NEXT
Game two of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m., Friday in Pittsburg.

— MWSU Athletics —