PITTSBURG, Kan. – No. 1 seed Central Missouri scored four unanswered runs on No. 8 seed Missouri Western to thwart the Griffons’ upset bid, 5-4, in the opening round of the MIAA Championships Thursday afternoon.

MWSU staked a 3-0 lead on the No. 8 team in the nation after two innings. Dusty Stroup drove in the first run in the first on a fielder’s choice. Andrew Curry got Stroup home in the first on a sac-fly to give MWSU a 2-0 lead. A Central Missouri error in the second led to Wyatt Meyer scoring on a ball hit to the Mule third baseman by Casey Danley. UCM got its first run in the bottom of the fourth, but MWSU answered when Stroup drove in his second of the game with a ground out to short that scored Zach Pych in the fifth. It was Missouri Western’s last run.

UCM got two in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out RBI single. A throwing error that would have been the second in the bottom of the seventh allowed the tying run to score for the Mules and the runner who reached on the error scored what proved to be the winning run.

After Will Jibas led off the ninth with a single, Pych fouled out to the first baseman on a bunt attempt and Casey Danley and Conrad McMahon struck out.

Danley went 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and a double. Stroup drove in two without a hit. Jibas went 2-for-2 after replacing starting catcher Kyle Snuttjer. Carson Dwyre struck out four and walked one while allowing three runs on five hits through the first 4 2/3. Anthony Castaneda (6-3) took the loss, his first since March 2 against Central Oklahoma. Castaneda pitched 3 1/3, allowing two unearned runs on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

The Griffons would await the loser of the No. 4 seed Pittsburg State, No. 5 seed Emporia State matchup at 12:30 on Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —