Griffon softball extends win streak to 14 with sweep of Washburn

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western softball team (32-14, 19-5) ran its win streak to 14 games and secured the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Softball Championships with a doubleheader sweep of Washburn (24-24, 15-9), Friday night, 7-2 and 3-2 in 9 innings.

Missouri Western got to its seventh-straight MIAA series sweep in dramatic fashion. After taking game one 7-2, the Griffons took game two on a ninth inning error by Washburn. With Shelby Uhl on third and one out in the ninth, Brea Blanton bunted to the pitcher who threw the ball over the catcher’s head to the backstop, allowing Uhl to score the winning run.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 7, Washburn 2

The Griffons totaled 10 hits and took advantage of several of Washburn’s six errors
MWSU led 3-0 before two Washburn runs in the fifth
Missouri Western answered with a three-run bottom of the fifth
Morgan Frost continued her hot streak, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and her 20^th double of the season
In her return to the lineup after missing the last nine games with an injury, Uhl went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double
Emma Hoffart had a pair of hits as did Taylor Hoelscher
Kaili Hinds moved to 14-3 on the season, pitching all seven innings and holding the Ichabods to two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Her last loss came on Mar. 8 at Central Oklahoma.

GAME 2
Missouri Western 3, Washburn 2 (9 Innings)

Washburn scored in the first and held its 1-0 lead until the Griffons went up 2-1 in the fifth
Blanton and Uhl scored the Griffons’ two runs in the fifth on a throwing error that allowed Gabi Carter to reach base
Washburn tied the game in the seventh, scoring an unearned run after a Griffon error
Uhl led off the ninth with a double to left center
Lauren Houston bunted Uhl to third to set up the game-winning error
Frost was 2-for-4 again
Cassidy Kelsheimer went 2-for-4 and Uhl was 2-for-3 with two runs scored
Lexi Kinnaird got the win, pitching all nine innings. She also did not walk a batter in the game and held Washburn to one earned run on eight hits

UP NEXT

Missouri Western hosts Emporia State (25-24, 14-10) on Saturday in the final regular season games of the season
Following the games, the Griffons’ seven seniors will be honored.

— MWSU Athletics —