The Missouri Western softball team won two hard fought MIAA road games against rival Northwest Missouri State University on Tuesday afternoon by scores of 2-1 in eight innings in game one and 6-4 in game two. Missouri Western improves to 16-8 overall and 4-2 in MIAA play.
Game 1
MWSU 2, NWMSU 1 (8 innings)
In game one the Griffons and the Bearcats played a very close one run ball game with MWSU prevailing 2-1 in eight innings. The Griffons got the first run in the top of the second inning when Maegan Roemmich nailed her third homer of the season giving MWSU the 1-0 lead.
The lead remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when Northwest Missouri State strung together three consecutive hits tying the score at one after four. The Griffons got runners on in the sixth and seventh but could not scratch anything across until the eighth inning.
In the eighth Kendall Sorensen got on by an error, advanced to second on a Roemmich walk and then scored the game winning run on a Taylor Anding single to right field.
After giving up a single to lead off the bottom of the eighth MWSU pitcher Jackie Bishop struck out the next three innings picking up 8th victory of the season. Bishop struckout a season high 14 batters in game one giving up just four hits and one earned run.
The Griffons had seven hits with Anding going 3-for-4 while Bre Fleschner had two hits.
Jenna Creger falls to 6-3 going eight innings walking seven and striking out seven. Four different Bearcats had hits in the contest.
Game 2
MWSU 6, NWMSU 4
In game two the Bearcats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after three innings of play. In the fourth Keri Lorbert led off the inning with a walk and then Sorensen hit her second homer of the season tying the score at two after four innings of play.
The Griffons took the lead in the fifth when Fleschner hit a change up over the right field fence giving MWSU the 3-2 lead. The homer was the 3rd of the season for Fleschner.
In the bottom half of the fifth the Bearcats scored one run on two hits tying the score at three. Once again MWSU responded to score two runs in the top of the sixth. Michelle Stevenson doubled to right center and advanced to second when Sorensen got hit by a pitch. The bases went full on a Roemmich single to left field and then Stevenson scored on an Anding walk. MWSU scored their second run of the inning on a field choice by Sarah Elliott.
The Bearcats cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth when lead off hitter Kylie Cantrell hit a homer over the left field fence. The Griffons responded in the top of the 7th when Lorbert walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a double steal with Stevenson.
Bishop shut down the Bearcats in the seventh picking up two strikeouts and her second save of the season. The Griffons had nine hits with Stevenson and Sorensen each going 2-for-3. Janie Smith improves to 8-3 overall going 4.1 innings giving up six hits and three earned runs.
Northwest had nine hits with Stephanie Price going 3-for-4. Abbie Vitosh went 5.1 innings giving up five hits and four earned runs. Paige Blythe picked up the loss falling to 2-2 going one inning giving up four hits. The Bearcats fall to 13-7 overall and 3-3 in MIAA play.
The Griffons return to action on Friday, March 22 with two games in the MWSU Invitational in St. Joseph, Mo. The Griffons take on Augustana and Concordia-St. Paul at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm from the Griffons Softball Field at the Spring Sports Complex.
— MWSU Sports Information —