EDMOND, Okla. – Four runs were enough again for the Missouri Western softball team on Friday as 2nd-seeded Griffons (36-14) defeated No. 3 seed Washburn (27-25), 4-1, to advance in the MIAA Championships and extend the team’s win streak to 18 games.
A huge two-out triple by Lauren Houston in the second put MWSU up 1-0. Houston tried to make it an inside the park home run but was thrown out at the plate. After the top of the order wasn’t able to make much noise early against Washburn starter Bailey Zuniga, they got hot the second time through. Brea Blanton led off the third with a single and scored one batter later when Morgan Frost reached on a throwing error. Frost got to third on the error that came while she was trying to sacrifice Blanton to second. Gabi Carter got Frost home one batter later with a double, prompting a Washburn pitching change. Sydni Hawkins gave the Griffs a three-run third with a one-out double that scored Carter.
Lexi Kinnaird (10-3) did her part with the help of her defense behind her. The senior pitcher allowed just one run on a solo homer through five innings. Kaili Hinds picked up her first save of the year, one night after getting a win in the circle. Hinds pitched two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts.
After a four-pitch first inning, Kinnaird gave up a one-out double then a single in the second, but Frost, Houston and Hawkins combined to give their pitcher two outs, gunning down Winter Henry as she tried to sneak to second on the single. The first two Ichabods reached in the third on a double and a single, but Kinnaird got a big strikeout of leadoff batter Samantha Stallbaumer; a big defensive play on a squeeze attempt from Emma Hoffart for the second out and a pop up to wiggle out of the jam.
The Griffons’ 18th consecutive win didn’t come without a couple scares. Carter led off the fifth by reaching on a throwing error, but injured her leg trying to turn for second base on the errant throw. Shelby Uhl picked up a one-out single in the sixth, but the hit went off her thumb. Uhl remained in the game. Kaylyn Damgaard pinch ran for Carter and Blanton replaced her defensively.
Missouri Western will face No. 1-ranked Central Oklahoma in the championship game of the winner’s bracket on Friday at 3 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to Saturday’s MIAA Championship game. The loser will play again on Friday.
— MWSU Athletics —