WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Griffon Baseball (28-23) dropped its opening game of the MIAA Championships, 9-3 to No. 3 seed and host Central Missouri (34-15) on Thursday.

No. 3-seed Missouri Western tied the game at two with a run in the fifth. UCM scored the tying run in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out throwing error by Casey Danley and added another run on an RBI-double two batters later. UCM padded its lead with a four-run sixth inning that was aided by two Griffon errors.

The loss dropped the Griffons to the consolation bracket where they’ll face No. 2-seed Northwest Missouri at 9 a.m. on Friday.  That game will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 or you can click here to listen.

Fahd Shakeel went 2-for-5 in the game and drove in the Griffons’ tying run in the fifth. Nate Hunter (8-5) took the loss and was charged with eight runs, five of them earned in 5 1/3 innings. Kellan Richards, Preston Bailey, Trever Carroll and Chase Wiger combined to limit the Mules to two hits and one run, all charged to Wiger, over the final two-plus innings.

— MWSU Athletics —