WINONA, Minn. – After extending its season with a 7-3 win over St. Cloud State Friday afternoon, Griffon Softball’s season came to an end with a 5-2 loss to No. 6 Winona State in the NCAA Central Region Championships.
A four-run fifth inning gave Winona State a 4-1 lead that was plenty for Central Region Pitcher of the Year Jordyn Kleman. The Winona State starter struck out 12, walked none and allowed just four Griffon hits over seven innings. The second of those hits led to the Griffons taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth.
Sydni Hawkins led off the inning with a single down the left field line and scored on a Lonnie Groves single. The Warriors answered with six-straight one-out hits that chased Griffon starter Kaili Hinds from the game in the bottom half of the inning. After getting out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the first with two strikeouts, Hinds retired seven-straight batters. Hinds took the loss to end her season 16-5.
Winona State tacked on one more run in the sixth and with two out in the seventh, Lauren Houston hit her second home run of the season off Kleman to give the Griffs their second run.
Missouri Western ended the season 38-18, taking second place in the MIAA regular season standings and the postseason championships. The regional appearance was the 12th all-time for the program and the seventh in the past nine years.
GAME 1
Missouri Western 7, St. Cloud State 3
The Griffons jumped out to a 5-0 lead after 2 innings, but St. Cloud State answered with three in the bottom of the third. Two more insurance runs left little doubt as Missouri Western guaranteed itself one more game.
The Griffons hit three home runs in the game, including solo shots by Taylor Hoelscher and Emma Hoffart in the third. Cassidy Kelsheimer added another homer in the fifth. Kelsheimer went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the game. Hoelscher was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Lexi Kinnaird got the win, pitching the first eight innings to finish the season 11-5. Olivia Goodale broke the MWSU single season saves record with her sixth of the season.
— MWSU Athletics —