The Missouri Western softball team exploded for eight runs in the third inning and rode the solid pitching of Janie Smith to a 11-2 run rule victory over the William Jewell Cardinals in the second game of the MSSU Border Battle. Smith improves to 6-2 on the season while the Griffons sit at 12-6 after going 1-1 on day one of the battle. MWSU fell 2-1 against Pittsburg State early in the day.
The Griffons got going in the first inning using two hits and a Cardinal error taking a 2-0 lead after a half an inning. Sarah Elliott reached on an error and later scored on a Tiffany Gillaspy single through the left side. Bre Fleschner scored the second run of the game on a Michelle Stevenson single to right field.
In the second Smith led off with a walk and scored on a Elliott double to center field giving the Griffons a 3-0 lead after an inning and a half.
The Cardinals battled back in their half of the second capitalizing on two Griffon errors scoring two runs. Eileen Greenwood hit a double to left field scoring Annali Dolman and Brittany Madson. Both were unearned runs.
In the third the Griffon bats caught fire stringing together eight hits with two being extra base hits. Stevenson hit a double to center field which was followed up by singles from Maegan Roemmich, Taylor Anding, Smith before Kendall Sorensen reached on a fielders choice and was later tossed out at third for the second out of the inning.
Following up Sorensen’s field choice was a single by Elliott, Fleschner, and Gillaspy before Keri Lorbert blasted her 7th homer of the season giving the Griffons the 11-2 lead after three and a half. Roemmich, Smith, Elliott, Gillaspy and Lorbert all had RBI in the inning.
Smith dominated the rest of the game giving up just one hit while stranding two Cardinals in the final three innings. Smith went all five innings giving up three hits while striking out one.
Offensively the Griffons had 11 hits with eight of the nine starters getting a hit. Elliott, Gillaspy and Stevenson had two hits apiece. The Griffons had 11 RBI with Lorbert collecting 3 and Elliott, Gillaspy, and Smith all getting two.
The Cardinals fall to 5-5 with Kahli Barrett getting the loss. She went 2.1 innings giving up eight hits and seven earned runs with two walks. Offensively WJC had just three hits.
The Griffons return to action on Sunday, March 10 with two games. The Griffons take on Upper Iowa University at 12:00 pm and Central Missouri at 2:00 pm.
— MWSU Sports Information —