ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western baseball team (28-22, 20-16) closed out the regular season with a series clinching 7-3 win over Nebraska Kearney (28-22, 21-15) Sunday at the Griffon Spring Sports Complex.
The win secured the Griffons the No. 6-seed in next week’s MIAA Championships. At the end of Missouri Western’s game, the full seeding was not determined, but Missouri Western’s opening opponent was set. Central Missouri’s Sunday loss to Northeastern State made the Mules the No. 3-seed and the Griffons’ opponent Thursday, May 10 in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Missouri Western led 2-0 after three innings, but Nebraska Kearney took the lead in the fifth after two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth. The Griffons answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead they never relinquished.
NOTABLES
- Bailey Zimmer went 3-for-3 at the plate plus two walks. He drove in one and scored once
- Maurice Bruce went 2-for-4 with two RBI
- Case Danley went 2-for-4 with two runs scored
- Brooks Day was 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and one driven in
- Dusty Stroup went 2-for-5
- Preston Bailey (5-3) picked up the win in relief for the second-straight day
- Ryan Smith continued his impressive run as a reliever. He went from designated hitter to closer in the ninth, holding UNK without a hit or run. Smith has allowed just four hits through nine relief innings.
- It was the final MIAA game for Nebraska Kearney. It was announced earlier in the season, the Lopers’ baseball program will be cut following the season. Prior to Sunday’s game, the Missouri Western players and staff tipped their caps to the Nebraska Kearney team in recognition of the program’s final regular season game. UNK will play in next week’s MIAA Championships as the No. 5 seed.
UP NEXT
The No. 6-seeded Griffons will take on the host, No. 3-seed Central Missouri in the opening round of the MIAA Championships at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 10.
The top-seed in the tournament is Central Oklahoma as the Bronchos play eighth-seeded Northeastern State at
4 p.m. on Thursday. Northwest Missouri claimed the second seed and plays seventh-seeded Emporia State at
12:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Pittsburg State earned the fourth seed and plays fifth-seeded Nebraska Kearney at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The MIAA Championships will be played at James R. Crane Stadium at Robert N. Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, Missouri and all of the Missouri Western games will be broadcast live on ESPN 1550 AM.
