Dave Riggert – Page 1093 – St. Joseph Post Archive

KU get 2nd seed in Midwest Region, opens with Detroit

Posted on March 11, 2012March 11, 2012

Kansas has been named a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament as was announced by the tournament selection committee Sunday afternoon. Bill Self’s squad will take on the No. 15-seeded Detroit from the Horizon League on Friday, March 16, at approximately 8:57 p.m. (Central) at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb. The game will be televised on truTV. Kansas will have open practice in the venue on Thursday, March 15, from 5:10-5:50 p.m.

The Jayhawks are making their 41st NCAA Tournament appearance, as well as their 23rd-consecutive trip to the tournament and are a number two seed for the fifth time since seeding began in 1979. The Jayhawks were a two seed in 1990, ’93, ’96, ’03 and this season.

KU, which is ranked No. 3 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches polls, has won eight-straight Big 12 regular season championships dating back to 2005 under head Coach Bill Self. This season, KU enters the postseason tournament boasting a 27-6 regular season record and a 16-2 clip in Big 12 conference play. Kansas has won nine of its last 10 games.

The eight-time defending Big 12 regular season champions are lead by 2012 Big 12 Player of the Year junior Thomas Robinson, who is averaging 17.9 points per game to go along with his 11.8 rebounds. Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor, first team All-Big 12 selection, gives KU 17.3 points per game and leads the team in assists with 4.8 per game. The Big 12’s defensive player of the year, sophomore center Jeff Withey, gives KU a presence under the basket with a conference-leading 3.3 block per game and adds 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Junior guards Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford round out the KU starters with Johnson tallying 9.6 points per game and adding 3.8 assists per game, while Releford posts 8.5 points per game.

Detroit posted a 22-13 overall record and a 11-7 mark in Horizon League play. The Titans defeated Valporaiso 70-50 in the conference championship game on Tuesday to punch the team’s automatic ticket to the NCAA tournament. Detroit will be making its sixth overall appearance in the NCAA Men’s Tournament and first since 1999.

DU is lead by sophomore guard Ray McCallum who averages 15.6 points per game and 4.5 rebounds as well as senior guard Simon Chase who boasts a 13.5 point per game average and 4.5 boards. Also averaging double digits for the Titans is junior Eli Holman with his 10.9 points as well as his team-leading 6.8 rebound per game average.

Kansas and Detroit have met three times prior to Friday’s matchup. KU holds a perfect 3-0 record all-time against the Titans with the most recent meeting a 63-43 KU victory in Lawrence on Dec. 28, 2006.

If the Jayhawks beat the Titans, they will take on the winner of the No. 7 St. Mary’s vs. No. 10 Purdue game on Sunday. Kansas has never played St. Mary’s, while the Jayhawks hold a 2-2 series tie with Purdue.

— KU Sports Information —

Kansas State earns 26th NCAA Tournament bid

Posted on March 11, 2012March 11, 2012

Kansas State men’s basketball team was rewarded for their successful 2011-12 season on Sunday night, as the Wildcats earned their 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their fourth in the last five seasons by receiving an at-large bid to the tournament.

Kansas State (21-10, 10-8 Big 12) was selected as a No. 8 seed in the East Regional and will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., to play No. 9 seed Southern Mississippi (25-8, 11-5 Conference USA) at the CONSOL Energy Center (19,069) on Thursday, March 15. The winner will advance to play either No. 1 seed Syracuse (31-2, 17-1 BIG EAST) or No. 16 seed UNC Asheville (24-9, 16-2 Big South) on Saturday, March 17. The Wildcats will be joined at the venue by No. 2 seed Ohio State, No. 7 seed Gonzaga, No. 10 seed West Virginia and No. 15 seed Loyola (Md.) of the East Regional. Aside from No. 1 seed Syracuse and No. 2 seed Ohio State, the other top five seeds in the East Regional are No. 3 seed Florida State, No. 4 seed Wisconsin and No. 5 seed Vanderbilt.

Tickets are available to current Ahearn Fund members and men’s basketball season ticket holders who did not place a pre-order. Fans should call the K-State Ticket Office at (800) 221.CATS on Monday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $78 for each session in which K-State participates. Seating will be assigned in order of K-State Athletics Priority Points.

Kansas State is making its 33rd postseason appearance, which includes 26 in the NCAA Tournament and seven in the Postseason NIT. It marks the sixth straight postseason appearance for the Wildcats and the third consecutive in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the squad went 1-1 in the NCAA Southeast Regional at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., knocking off No. 12 seed Utah State, 73-68, in the second round before losing to No. 4 seed Wisconsin, 70-65, in the third round. The four trips to the NCAA Tournaments in the last five years is the best five-year stretch in school history and the best since the Wildcats advanced to four consecutive tournaments from 1987-90.

The program has posted a 32-29 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play, including a 5-3 mark in second round games. The school will be making its fourth appearance in the East Regional with its other trips coming in 1975, 1989 and 1996 and is 2-2 all-time in the region. K-State will be making its second appearance as a No. 8 seed and the first since making a run to the Elite Eight in 1980-81. Overall, the school is 3-1 as a No. 8 seed. This will mark the first time the school has played in an NCAA Tournament game in Pittsburgh and just the second time in the state of Pennsylvania. The Wildcats played Penn in the first round of the 1975 NCAA Tournament at the famed Palestra in Philadelphia.

In K-State’s 25 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, the Wildcats have advanced to the Sweet 16 a total of 16 times. The program has also reached the Elite Eight 11 times, made four Final Four appearances and played in one National Championship game (1951).

The No. 9 seed Southern Miss Golden Eagles are 25-8 overall record on the season, which includes a second-place finish in Conference USA with an 11-5 mark. The team is led by eighth-year head coach and Conference USA Gene Bartow Coach of the Year Larry Eustachy, who earlier this year won his 400th game in 21 seasons as a head coach. Eustachy has previously served stints as head coach at Idaho (1990-93), Utah State (1993-98) and Big 12 rival Iowa State (1998-2003). The Golden Eagles are a balanced squad with six players averaging better than nine points per game, including leading scorer and Conference USA Newcomer of the Year Neil Watson (12.2 ppg., 4.5 apg.).

This will be the seventh all-time meeting between K-State and Southern Miss on the hardwood with the series tied at 3-all. The Wildcats have won the last two games in the series, including a 74-55 win in Kansas City’s Sprint Center on Dec. 11, 2008. This will be just the second neutral site meeting and the first-ever in the NCAA Tournament. K-State has faced Syracuse twice, including once in the NCAA Tournament in 1975, with the series tied at 1-all. The Wildcats have faced UNC Asheville just once, an 80-54 win at home on Nov. 26, 1996.

K-State was one of six Big 12 teams to earn berths in NCAA Tournament, joining No. 2 seed Kansas (Midwest), No. 2 seed Missouri (West), No. 3 seed Baylor (South), No. 8 seed Iowa State (South) and No. 11 seed Texas (East) in the field. The squad also faced three other squads that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including No. 9 seed Alabama (Midwest), No. 10 seed West Virginia (Midwest) and No. 12 seed Long Beach State (West).

The Wildcats are one of just 15 schools nationally and one of five in the Big 12 to have their football team in a bowl game and both women’s volleyball and men’s basketball teams advance to the NCAA Tournament. In addition, all three Division I programs in the state of Kansas (Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State) all advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988. The Jayhawks are a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional, while the Shockers (27-5) are the No. 5 seed in the South Region.

— KSU Sports Information —

Christian boys defeat Jefferson on buzzer-beater to advance to Final Four

Posted on March 10, 2012

The St. Joseph Christian boys are headed to the Final Four in Columbia for the first time in school history after defeating Jefferson, 64-61, in overtime Saturday in the Class 1 Quarterfinals at Bishop LeBlond High School.

The Lions improve to 23-6 on the season and they’ll play Thursday at 1:40 PM inside the Hearnes Center against Drexel.

Christian and Jefferson went back and forth the entire first half as the Lions led 32-29 at halftime, but they took control in the third quarter.

Christian extended its lead to 10 points, 46-36, late in the third quarter and led 46-39 after three. Jefferson then rallied and used a 14-2 run to take their first lead in the second half, 50-48 before Christian answered back with five straight points.

The two teams went back and forth again late in the fourth quarter and they went to overtime tied at 57.

The Lions let a four-point lead in OT disappear as the game was tied 61-61 with under a minute to play.

Both teams missed potential go-ahead shots but with four second left, Christian’s Brandon Shank grabbed a defensive rebound and dribbled into the front court and made a 30-foot shot off the glass at the buzzer to send SJCS into the Final Four.

Forrest Hicks led St. Joseph Christian with 33 points, while Shank added 12 and Jordan Morrison scored eight.

The Final Four game in Columbia against Drexel will air live on ESPN 1550.

Earlier Saturday, the St. Joseph Christian girls led a 16-point lead slip away as the fell to Jefferson in triple overtime, 61-58.

Alexa Taff led the Lions with 19 points, while Courtlin Osborn added 11 and Emylee King scored 10.

Christian ends its season 22-7.

Griffons sweep tripleheader against University of Mary

Posted on March 10, 2012March 10, 2012

Inclement weather predicted for Sunday, forced the Griffons and Marauders to play a rare triple header Saturday at the Spring Sports Complex. The Griffons shutout the Marauders in the first two games behind the pitching of Brandon Simmons and Ethan Ward. Grant Fink provided the fireworks in game three with his walk-off home run in the ninth to give Western the rare triple header sweep.

Game 1: MWSU 5, UM 0

Western got a strong pitching performance from junior Brandon Simmons as he went all seven innings in the 5-0 shutout victory. Simmons gave up six hits and struckout two Marauders improving to 3-1 on the year.

The Griffons scored two runs in the first and two in the third taking a 4-0 lead. Shawn Egge walked and scored on a Michael Schulze single and then Schulze scored on a while pitch giving Western the 2-0 lead in the first.

In the third the Griffons scored two more when Schulze singled and scored on Nate Ramler single. Later in teh inning David Chew would score on throwing error by Mary’s third baseman.

Western had six hits with Schulze going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Western left five players on base and had two stolen bases.

The University of Mary had six hits with Sam Salveson going 3-for-3. Matt Frank went just 1.1 innings giving up one hit and two earned runs. He falls to 0-1 with the loss. Brad Horan went 2.2 innings giving up four hits and one earned run.

Game: MWSU 4, UM 0

Western was solid on the mound, with Ethan Ward (2-1) picking up the win and Jake Jones earning his second save of the season.

The Griffons got on the board in the third after Shawn Egge reached first on a throwing error that allowed Jake Graham to score. Spencer Shockley’s home run in the fourth put Western up 3-0, and Egge scored the final run in the eighth when Grant Fink grounded out to the shortstop.

Egge was 2-4 with a run scored, Andrew Pieper was 2-3 on two doubles and a run scored and Shockley was 2-3 with 2 RBI.

Game 4: MWSU 3, UM 1 (9 innings)

Grant Fink’s walk-off home run in the ninth ended the Marauders’ hopes of earning their second win of the season.

Andrew Pieper led off the ninth with a walk and advanced to second on Jake Graham’s sacrifice bunt. Then it was Fink’s turn to end it with a shot over the left field wall that completed Western’s rare three-game, one day sweep.

Mary scored first, getting one off of Nik Jurado on a Steve Pletan RBI double. The Griffons answered in their half of the fourth after Andrew Pieper hit his third double of the day, Nate Ramler’s single to left brought Pieper across the plate.

Jurado pitched eight innings, allowing just five hits behind eight strikeouts. Jake Jones (1-1) picked up the win, pitching one inning of relief.

The No. 24 Missouri Southern Lions come to the Spring Sports Complex Friday, March 16 for a four game series over the weekend.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri exits Big 12 with tournament championship

Posted on March 10, 2012

It seemed as if everybody was rooting against Missouri, the school that nearly brought the Big 12 to ruin, and you can be sure coach Frank Haith and the rest of the Tigers heard them.

They made sure to leave a lasting impression on their way to the SEC.

Kim English capped a phenomenal conference tournament with 19 points, Phil Pressey added 15 points and eight assists and the fifth-ranked Tigers beat Baylor (No. 11 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) 90-75 on Saturday night to win their second championship in the past four years.

“Obviously, it’s special. To win championships is just special,” Haith said. “We didn’t win the regular-season championship, but we won a conference tournament championship.”

English wound up 29 of 40 from the field in a virtuoso performance in Kansas City and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Michael Dixon added 17 points for the Tigers (30-4), while Ricardo Ratliffe and Marcus Denmon finished with 15 each.

“Kim’s play was unbelievable all weekend,” Denmon said. “He really carried us.”

Missouri’s decision to leave for the Southeastern Conference after this season drew outrage from fans of opposing teams, and all the fans from nine other schools that flocked to the Sprint Center seemed to be rooting hard against the school from just down Interstate 70.

Thousands of fans clad in black and gold in turn booed interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas when he gave away the trophy, and chants of “SEC! SEC!” arose in the closing minutes.

“There were roughly 18,000 people here — it was packed. I would suggest 17,000 of those people were in black and gold,” Missouri athletic director Mike Alden said. “So to suggest that Kansas City, Mo., is a Mizzou town, I can assure you, it absolutely was proof positive today.”

Perry Jones III led Baylor (27-7) with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Brady Heslip scored 14 and Deuce Bello came off the bench to add 13 for the Bears, who were again turned away one win short of their first conference tournament title since 1950.

The Bears also lost to Missouri in the 2009 Big 12 title game.

“The biggest thing we haven’t talked about is their experience, five seniors,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “They’ve been through situations like this.”

The two teams waged two memorable games during the regular season, Missouri coming out on top both times. The first was an 89-88 victory in Waco in January, when the Tigers made 10 free throws in the closing minute to hold off a furious rally. The second was a 15-point victory in Columbia, a game that was nip-and-tuck until the Tigers went on a second-half charge.

This one wound up being a bit more like the second meeting.

The teams traded blows throughout the first half — Denmon or English would knock down a 3-pointer, Jones or Quincy Miller would find a way to work inside for a matching bucket. The lead never reached double figures even though Missouri threatened it a couple times.

It wasn’t until the final minutes before the half, when Denmon knocked down a jumper and Pressey made two foul shots, that Missouri had some breathing room.

That was part of a 16-5 thrust that spanned the break and gave the Tigers a 57-42 lead, their biggest of the game, and forced Baylor coach Scott Drew to use all but one of his timeouts.

Quincy Acy, playing in his school-record 135th game, finally got on the board with a pair of free throws as Baylor began cutting into the lead.

Two more foul shots by A.J. Walton nipped it back to single digits, and later in the half, an alley-oop jam by Jones off a half-court feed from Pierre Jackson got Baylor within 64-56.

“We just had to get stops,” Acy said. “That’s pretty much the whole game. We had to get stops and we had to convert easies. That’s it.”

Instead, Missouri seemed to keep finding answers.

Dixon hit a jumper after Perry’s rim-rattling dunk, and English knocked down a 3-pointer moments later to restore a double-digit cushion, the swagger-filled junior guard sticking out his tongue and giving a “so-what?” shoulder shrug as he headed back to play defense.

The Tigers continued to pour it on. Pressey hit a 3-pointer from about 6 feet beyond the arc, and English followed with another from the exact same spot. This time, he exhorted a partisan crowd packed inside the Sprint Center to rise to its feet with a chant of “M-I-Z, Z-O-U!”

Baylor went on one more spirited run, closing within 77-72 after a 10-2 spurt, but the salty Tigers took care of things from the foul line. They made 10 straight at one point in the closing minutes, putting a tidy bow on one final Big 12 championship.

“The Big 12 has been a phenomenal league and it will continue to be a phenomenal league,” Alden said. “You want to have opportunities, but we never would have had a chance like this if it wasn’t for the Big 12. So for us, going forward, it’s something that we are just appreciative of the opportunity to be associated with a great league.”

— Associated Press —

Bearcat baseball goes 1-1 at No. 16 Emporia State Saturday

Posted on March 10, 2012March 10, 2012

The Northwest Missouri State offense came alive to earn a split with 16th-ranked Emporia State taking the nightcap 10-6 after falling in game one on Saturday, 16-3 in MIAA baseball action from Glennen Field.

The Bearcats moved their record to 5-11 and stay even in league play at 5-5. The Hornets stand at 9-4 on the year and move to 5-3 in conference action taking three of four from the Bearcats and the series win.

Game one of Saturday was all Emporia State as the Hornets scored 16 runs on 18 hits.

Bearcat shortstop Eric Swain joined the home run party as the junior blasted two home runs in the first game and added a second in game two. Swain doubled his home run total as he now leads the team with six.

ESU scored six runs in the first and seven in the second to build a 13-1 lead.

After a first inning home run, Swain belted his second to lead off the third inning. Steven Graber doubled home Eric McGlauflin providing the only offense for Northwest in game one.

It took more warming up for Northwest in the nightcap as they opened up the scoring in the fifth when Ryan Abernathy doubled home Jon Pomatto and Jake Kretzer to take a 2-0 lead. The next batter, Cameron Bedard, singled scoring Abernathy to put the Bearcats up 3-0.

However ESU would answer with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Bearcat bats continued to come back for more when Kretzer blasted a two-run homer pushing the Northwest lead to 5-2.

Again the Hornets answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but it was Swain’s third home run of the day that broke the game open for Northwest. Swain belted his sixth home run of the season putting the Bearcats on top 8-4.

ESU would only manage two more runs as the Bearcat bullpen closed the door.

Northwest starter Chase Anderson picked up the win going 7.1 innings and scattering nine hits. Anderson was charged with only one of the five runs scored as he also struck out three.

Josh Parish pitched the final 1.2 innings giving up just two hits and striking out two.

Northwest continues MIAA action as they host Central Missouri in the home opener at Bearcat Field. First pitch o

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western softball rolls to sweep of Central Missouri

Posted on March 10, 2012

The 13th ranked Missouri Western softball team continued to roll earning a double header sweep over the University of Central Missouri on Saturday afteroon. Keri Lorbert had seven RBI and went 4-for-8 helping the Griffons to 5-1 and 8-2 victories. Western improves to 19-4 overall and 4-0 in MIAA play.

Game 1: MWSU 5, UCM 1
Jackie Bishop continues to pitch lights out for the Griffons improving her record to 10-1 overall in the complete game victory. She struckout seven Jennies while giving up just two hits.

Last season Jenny pitcher Lacy Dixon pitched a no hitter against the Griffons but not today as Western pounded out 8 hits against her. She falls to 1-4 pitching five innings while giving up eight hits and five earned runs.

Western got on the board in the second when Kat Steponovich doubled in Maegan Roemmich giving the Griffons and early 1-0 lead. In the third Western tacked on three more runs getting four hits. Lorbert blasted her third home run giving Western a 3-0 lead then Roemmich scored on a foul ball by Steponovich.

Western took a 5-0 lead in the fifth when Leah Steele doubled in Roemmich and Bishop shut the Jennies down the rest of the way giving the Griffons their 18th victory of the season.

Roemmich went 3-for-3 with three runs scored while Steele went 3-for-4 with one RBI.

Medora West went 3-for-4 with the only run scored for the Jennies.

Game 2: MWSU 8, UCM 2

The Griffons took the second game of the day, 8-2, on the power of 12 hits and a four-run fifth inning. Annalee Rubio improved to 7-3 going six innings while striking out three and giving up two earned runs. She had a no hitter going into the sixth inning.

Missouri Western scored in the first (2), fifth (4), sixth (1) and seventh (1) innings, securing the doubleheader sweep against Central Missouri. Breanna Fleschner had two hits and scored three runs while Lorbert had three hits and five RBI. Steponovich had three hits and two RBI while Anding had two hits.

The Jennies were only able to score runs in the bottom of the seventh on the strength of back-to-back homeruns to left field by Nicole Norberg and Brittany Martin to lead off the inning.

The Griffons return to action on Wednesday, March 14 to take on non-conference opponent Wayne State (Neb.) Wildcats in a double header. First pitch is scheduled 2:00 pm from the Griffons Softball Field at the Spring Sports Complex.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Northwest Missouri softball splits with Lindenwood

Posted on March 10, 2012

The Northwest Missouri State softball team took an extra inning 7-6 win over Lindenwood to earn a split as the Bearcats fell 5-3 in the nightcap Saturday in non-conference softball action from Bearcat Field.

The Bearcats stayed even on the season at 9-9 while the Lions moved to 5-13 on the season. Northwest will host Wayne State in non-conference action to close out a six-game home stand at Bearcat Field Tuesday at 2 p.m.

In the first game of the day the Bearcats needed extra innings and took advantage of a Lindenwood error that allowed Jordan Ereth to score the game winning run. Molly Baker grounded sharply to the shortstop, but the error allowed Baker to reach safely and Ereth to round third for the game winning run.

Northwest built a 6-1 lead as Kristine Labertew led off the fourth inning with a home run. Two batters later Jordan Ereth tripled and scored when Josie Van Houten singled.

A pair of Lions’ errors aided the final two runs for the Bearcats, but Lindenwood would battle back to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning.

Jenna Creger pitched seven innings for Northwest to earn a no-decision, as she struck out eight and walked three.

Morgan Brunmeier pitched a perfect eighth setting up the Bearcat bottom half of the inning.

Ereth went 2-for-5 and scored three runs as three other Bearcats finished with two hits in the opener.

In game two, Northwest got another solid outing in the circle from Abbie Vitosh, but the Bearcats were not able to rally a second time falling 5-3.

Vitosh pitched 6.1 innings scattering eight hits and striking out six. The freshman only walked one and allowed five runs, four of which were earned in the loss.

The Bearcats fell behind 3-0, but a Kristen Uthe three-run homer tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.

Lindenwood answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth to go up 5-3, which proved to be the final score.

Uthe went 2-for-4 as her three RBIs were the only runs driven in for Northwest in the nightcap.

Van Houten also went 2-for-3 in the loss.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

No. 13 Western opens MIAA play with two wins at SBU

Posted on March 9, 2012

The 13th ranked Missouri Western softball team opened up MIAA action with a double header sweep over the Southwest Baptist Bearcats by scores of 9-0 and 6-2. Western pounded out 27 hits improving to 17-4 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play.

Game 1: MWSU 9, SBU 0

Missouri Western opened up MIAA play with a decisive 9-0 victory in five innings over Southwest Baptist. Western scored six runs in the first three innings which included a five run third inning blowing the game open.

Western collected 14 hits with Sarah Elliot and Taylor Anding both going 3-for-3. The Griffons got on the board in the second inning when Maegan Roemmich singled leading off the inning and scored on an error by the left field after a Taylor Anding single.

In the third Western had five hits which included two doubles one by Elliot and the other by Anding which platted two Griffons. The Griffons got five hits in the inning claiming a 6-0 lead after three. Western scored two more in the fourth and one in the fifth earning its 16th victory of the season.

On the mound the Griffons got a combined two hit shutout from Jackie Bishop and Emily Moe. Bishop improved to 9-1 on the season going three innings while giving up one hit while striking out three. Moe pitched two innings giving up one hit.

Kendall Sorenson, Blair Stalder and Roemmich each had two hits and scored two runs while Anding scored twice and batted in two.

Jessica Colliver went five innings for the Bearcats giving up 14 hits and eight earned runs while striking out just one. She falls to 2-5 on the season. Jennifer Martinez and BreAnn Proctor each had a hit for SBU.

Game 2: MWSU 6, SBU 2

Freshman Tiffany Gillaspy hit her first career homerun with the score tied at two in the top of the fourth inning giving the Griffons the lead for good and sparking Western to the 6-2 victory.

Western continued where they left off in game one smashing 13 hits. Kendall Sorenson opened the game with a double down the left field line and later scored on a Stalder single to center giving Western the early 1-0 lead. The Griffons took a 2-0 lead in the second when Gillaspy singled through the left side scoring Roemmich.

SBU chipped away in the second and third scoring a run in each inning tying the score at two after three.

Western remained calm and in the third scored two runs with Gillaspy’s bomb being the big hit giving Western the 4-2 lead. Annalee Rubio regained her composure sitting the next nine Bearcats down in order.

The Griffons scored one in the fifth and one in the sixth putting the game out of reach and giving Rubio her sixth victory of the season. She improves to 6-3 overall going all seven giving up five hits and two earned runs while striking out four.

Offensively, Stalder went 3-for-4 while Roemmich, Anding, Gillaspy and Michelle Stevenson all collecting two hits. Gillaspy had three RBI while Anding scored two runs.

Jennifer Martinez went 2-for-3 in the contest for SBU. Alex Abernathey pitched four innings giving up four earned runs and seven hits. She falls to 2-1 on the season. SBU falls to 5-9 overall and 0-2 in MIAA play.

Western continutes MIAA action on Saturday, March 10 when they take on the University of Central Missouri in a double header in Warrensburg, Mo. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm from the Jennies softball field at UCM’s South Recreation Complex.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats get swept by No. 16 Emporia State

Posted on March 9, 2012

Northwest Missouri State got two solid pitching performances, but were unable to complete a pair of comebacks as No. 16 Emporia State swept a MIAA double header, 8-3 and 9-6 at Glennen Field Friday afternoon.

With the sweep the Bearcats fall to 4-10 on the year and evened their record to 3-3 in MIAA play. The 16th-ranked Hornets improved to 8-3 on the season and 4-2 in league play as the two squads will close out the series Saturday with a twin bill starting at 1 p.m.

In the opener, ESU jumped out early on the Bearcats pushing a run across in the first and two more in the bottom of the third. The real blow came in the fourth inning when Aston McCoy belted a grand slam for his first home run of the season giving the Hornets a 5-0 lead.

However, Northwest would rally in the top of the seventh scoring three runs before ESU halted the Bearcats getting a pair of ground outs taking the 8-3 win.

Entering the series on an offensive tear the Bearcats were limited to only four hits by Hornets starter, Brandon Faulkner. Faulkner went six innings only walking one while striking out four.

Northwest starter Chris Green was handed his first loss of the season to fall to 2-1 as he walked three and struck out two in five innings of work. Jacob Raffaele pitched a scoreless sixth in relief of Green.

In the night cap the tables were turned for six innings as Northwest built a 6-1 lead aided by an Eric Swain’s third home run of the year. However, after a great effort from Jace Anderson, who went 6.1 innings and scattered nine hits, ESU started and completed a seven run rally ending with a walk-off home run.

Carson Smith entered with one out in the seventh and a 4-6 lead. ESU rallied scoring five runs off the reliever who also allowed five hits.

Tyler Durant had the only multiple hit game of the day for the Bearcats going 2-for-3 with a run scored.

— NWMSU Sports Information —