The Missouri Western made a great run but fell twice on Saturday in the MIAA Tournament held in Springfield, Mo. The Griffons fell in game one 3-2 before falling 6-0 in the final game of the tournament. The Griffons finish the season 32-20.

Game 1
ESU 3
MWSU 2

Despite scoring the first two runs of the game the Griffons gave up three unaswared run falling 3-2 in the first game of the MIAA Championship. The Griffons got two runs in the 5th inning on three hits. Mitch Thorman singled to right field and scored on a two out single by Ryan Degner. Cody Childs then hit his first triple of the year scoring Degner and giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead.

Josh Lansangan had a no hitter going into the 5th inning but three one out hits helped the Hornets cut the Griffon lead to 2-1 after five innings. In the 6th the Hornets were able capitalize on an error on Childs leading off the inning. They followed the error up with a couple more singles giving the Hornets the 3-2 lead after six innings.

In the 8th the Griffons got runners on the corners with no outs but the Griffons were unable to push the tying or go ahead run accross the plate. The Griffons did not get anything going in the ninth as they dropped their first game of the tournament.

In the contest the Griffons had seven hits with David Chew going 3-for-4 and Degner going 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Lansangan went 5.2 innings with four hits and one earned run with four strikeouts. He falls to 3-3 with the loss. Tyler Sanders went 2.1 innings with one strikeout.

The Hornets improve to 39-17 on the season as they scattered six hits. Price Jacobs got two hits with an RBI and a run scored. Travis Hendry went 4.2 innings giving up five hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts. Brenton Higgins went 2.1 innings in relief giving up two hits. He improves to 7-1 with the win while Shawn Talkington went 2.0 innnings picking up his first save of the year.

Game 2
ESU 6
MWSU 0

In the second game Emporia State got three runs in the third inning and would not look back. At the plate Jacobs hit a solo home run going two for five with two runs scored. Dean Long was two for three scoring a run and driving one in while Aaron Gile went two for four and drove in a run.

On the mound just one day after throwing a complete game Jarrod Miller pitching four innings of two hit baseball. He would be relieved by Matt Hinkley who pitched three innings of scoreless baseball to earn his second win of the season.

The Griffons had just five hits in the gmae with Will Carter and LaHonta each getting two. Cody Childs had the other hit in the game. Tyler Tuepker falls to 2-3 on the season going 2.1 innings giving up two hits and two earned runs.

The Hornets will earn the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament which begins with the Central Regional on May 15.

— MWSU Sports Information —