Dave Riggert – Page 638 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Northwest Missouri State splits four-game series with Pitt State

Posted on March 29, 2015

Pittsburg, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to Pittsburg State, 8-6, on Sunday in MIAA action.

Northwest falls to 15-15 overall and 11-9 in MIAA play. Pitt State improves to 9-18 and 5-11 in conference action.

With the loss, the Gorillas earned a series split after winning one game on Saturday. The Bearcats won on Friday and in game two of yesterday’s doubleheader.

Northwest Missouri State scored six runs on eight hits and did not committ an error. Northwest got single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before putting together a four-run seventh inning.

Pitt State scored eight runs on 13 hits but kept the door open by committing four errors. The Gorillas scored two in the second, one in the third, four in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Nikko Pablo got the loss, going 4.1 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits. He walked two batters and struck out one.

Paul Johnson was 3-for-5 on the day with a triple and an RBI.

Nick Gotta and Austin Wulff each picked up a pair of hits. Both recorded doubles, had an RBI and scored a run.

Catcher Derek Meyer was 1-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.

The Bearcats will return home for five straight games beginning on Tuesday, March 31, with a non-conference nine-inning game against Peru State. MIAA play continues on Thursday, April 2, with Lindenwood.

— Northwest Sports Information —

No. 23 Tigers lose final game of three-game series at No. 1 Texas A&M

Posted on March 29, 2015March 29, 2015

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 23 Mizzou baseball dropped the series finale against top-ranked Texas A&M, 14-6, on Sunday afternoon at Blue Bell Park.

Junior starter Peter Fairbanks (St. Louis, Mo.) allowed four runs and two home runs over the first three innings and the Tigers hit into three double plays in the middle innings to quell rallies before A&M broke the game open late. The loss drops the Tigers to 20-9 and 6-3 in the SEC. Texas A&M improves to 27-2 and 7-2 in the SEC.

The 14 runs allowed by the Tigers are a season-high as are the 17 hits by the Aggies on Sunday. The Aggies broke the game open in the sixth, sending 13 batters to the plate while scoring nine runs on seven hits. Mizzou rallied with five runs in the top of the seventh, but it was too little, too late for the Tigers.

Fairbanks took the loss, his third of the season. Sophomore Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) tallied his third three-hit game of the season, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Freshmen Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) and Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) each tallied multi-hit games as well. Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) reached base safely for the 26th consecutive game.

Fairbanks struggled through three innings, allowing a pair of homers as Texas A&M opened a 4-0 lead after three innings. Mizzou threatened to score in the third and fourth innings, putting a pair of runners on with one outs and nobody out, respectively. But A&M starter Matt Kent induced a couple of double plays to escape jams in both of those innings.

Fairbanks issued a four-pitch walk to open the fourth inning and that ended his day in favor of senior reliever Andrew Schwaab (St. Charles, Mo.), who retired the side on eight pitches in the fourth. Schwaab then got into some trouble in the fifth inning, allowing back-to-back, one-out singles. J.B. Moss then hit a two-out single through the left side to give A&M a 5-0 lead.

The Tigers again threatened in the top of the sixth as three consecutive singles loaded the bases for the middle of the order and cleanup hitter Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.). He struck out swinging on a 3-2 fastball and Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) bounced into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat as the Tigers came up empty.

A&M then made the Tigers pay for missing that chance, plating nine runs in the bottom of the frame, four coming on a grand slam by Logan Taylor. Mizzou rallied in the seventh for five runs in the top of the seventh, but the damage had been done as the Tigers tacked on another run in the ninth.

Mizzou will be back in action, facing a nationally-ranked Illinois team Tuesday at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill., at 6:35 p.m.

— MU Sports Information —

Royals get three-hit by Cubs in 7-0 loss

Posted on March 29, 2015March 29, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Edwin Jackson arrived at the ballpark in time for a solid spring start with the Chicago Cubs.

Jackson allowed one hit in 4 2/3 innings, and the Cubs hit three homers in a 7-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Jackson struck out three and walked one. He was hit hard in his previous outing after he had trouble finding Oakland’s spring ballpark.

Jackson is competing for the last spot in the Cubs’ rotation after going 6-15 with a 6.33 ERA last season.

“It’s not going to be judged off one start,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s something I don’t worry about. Like I’ve been saying from the beginning, just go out and be myself and at the end of the day, whatever is going to happen is going to happen. No need to worry about it, just go out pitch your game and let the pieces fall into place.”

Miguel Montero, Matt Szczur and Junior Lake homered for Chicago, and Tommy La Stella went 3 for 3 and scored a run.

Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez struck out eight in five-plus innings. He was charged with two runs and six hits.

“I think this is the best one of all of whole spring training,” Volquez said.

Montero went deep in the first. Lake connected in the eighth against Wade Davis, who did not surrender a home run in 72 innings last season. Szczur hit his fourth spring homer in Chicago’s four-run ninth off Royals closer Greg Holland.

BRYANT PLAYS LEFT

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, one of the top prospects in the majors, made his second spring training start in left field. The team wants its young players to be able to play more than one position.

“You never know the need will arise,” manager Joe Maddon said. “All of a sudden, you could have a need here, and he hasn’t played there.”

Bryant went 0 for 3 at the plate, striking out twice. His spring batting average dropped to .425.

STARTING TIME

Cubs: Jackson entered with a 7.59 ERA in 10 2/3 spring innings.

“Just a better job of making adjustments,” Jackson said. “Miggy (Montero) did a great job of controlling the game behind the plate, mixing up pitches. We also had some great defensive plays. It was a little bit of everything working in my favor today.”

Royals: Volquez said he is close to being where he wants to be to start the season.

“I don’t want to say 100 percent,” Volquez said. “I’m think I’m probably 90 percent.”

OUT AT HOME

Cubs second baseman Javier Baez threw out Jarrod Dyson and Alex Gordon at the plate in the third inning. Gordon tried to score from first on Kendrys Morales’ double.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: OF Chris Denorfia has not played since March 17 because of a hamstring injury.

Royals: RF Alex Rios returned to the lineup after missing three games with a right thumb issue.

BAD OVERALL DAY

The Royals managed just three hits, and key relievers Davis and Holland allowed a total of five runs and six hits in a combined 1 2/3 innings.

“My fantasy NACAR team did as bad as we did today,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It was a bad day all the way around. My A driver is Jimmy Johnson, who normally runs good at Martinsville, but he finished 35th today.”

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks starts Monday against the Giants.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas starts Monday against Texas.

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western women’s tennis earns two wins Sunday

Posted on March 29, 2015March 29, 2015

OTTAWA, Kan. – The Missouri Western women’s tennis team traveled to Ottawa, Kansas on Sunday for their third away match in four day. MWSU earned two victories by defeating College of Saint Mary 9-0 and Ottawa University 8-1.

The Griffons controlled the match from the start against Saint Mary, winning all three doubles matches. Ceara Boldridge and Sofia Aguilera earned a 8-1 victory while Denise Chiao and Kayla Dysart claimed an 8-1 win as well. In the No. 3 doubles match Meara Smith and Lindsay Beger won 8-0.

In singles matches, Missouri Western continued to show their dominance with Sarah Giraldo, Mera Smith and Lindsay Begar all earning 6-0, 6-0 victories. Kayla Dysart won her match in the No. 2 spot, 6-1, 6-1. In the No. 3 position Yasmine El Ghazi won her match 6-1, 6-1 and in the final singles position Denise Chiao won 6-1, 6-0.

MWSU was able to control the tempo in their match against Ottawa, winning all three doubles matches. Sarah Giraldo and El Ghazi won their match by the score of 8-3 and Aguilera and Boldridge won 8-4 in the No. 2 position.

Kayla Dysart won her match in the No. 1 spot 5-7, 7-5 (10-4). El Ghazi, Chiao, and Smith all earned victories in their singles matches as well.

The Griffons moved their record to 8-5 overall and will return to action on April 7 at home against William Jewell starting at 2:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —

St. Louis loses to Mets in spring training action Sunday

Posted on March 29, 2015March 29, 2015

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Dillon Gee allowed singles to four of his first five batters, then settled in to pitch seven innings Sunday in the New York Mets’ 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Matt Carpenter and Jason Heyward opened the first with singles, but left fielder Michael Cuddyer threw out Carpenter at third. Matt Holliday singled, and the Cardinals pulled off a double steal, and shortstop Ruben Tejada turned Matt Adams’ liner into an unassisted double play.

Jhonny Peralta singled leading off the second, and Yadier Molina grounded into a 1-6-3 double play. Gee wound up allowing two runs and seven hits. Heyward hit an RBI triple in the third and scored on Holliday’s sacrifice fly.

“I definitely started executing a lot better as the game went on,” Gee said. “Early, I had trouble finding everything. Luckily, today I think the cutter allowed me to stay in the game long enough to figure it out.”

Lucas Duda had three hits, and Curtis Granderson had two hits and a walk.

Cardinals starter Marco Gonzales, pitching because Jaime Garcia’s shoulder is ailing, gave up one run, three hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Gonzales could start the season in the rotation, in the bullpen or in the rotation of Triple-A Memphis.

“I think those are three viable options,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

STARTING TIME

Mets: Collins wasn’t ready to say Gee will be in his starting rotation. “We’re going to wait a while,” Collins said. “We’ve got (Rafael Montero) tomorrow so we are excited to see that and we’ll make a decision as we go.”

Cardinals: Sunday’s start was the final in the Grapefruit League for Gonzales but he’ll likely get the ball on Friday when the Cardinals play an exhibition game at Memphis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Closer Bobby Parnell, returning from Tommy John surgery last April, threw 16 pitches in a minor league game and is on pace to make his 2015 debut in May. Second baseman Daniel Murphy took at-bats in a minor league game again on Sunday but can’t run because of a sore hamstring.

Cardinals: Garcia is expected to meet with team doctors in the coming days. The club doesn’t have a time table for Garcia’s return to the mound.

SITUATIONAL PLAY

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny will try to use his bench players as frequently as possible in situations they’ll encounter in the regular season during the final week of spring training. That will mean bringing left-handed reliever Randy Choate into games to face left-handed hitters. Choate allowed a double to Granderson and, following an intentional walk, an RBI single to Duda.

NO CONCERN FOR WONG

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, who is hitting .147, was given a day off. “He’s doing a lot of little things right,” Matheny said. “He’s not had a lot of results.”

CARDS MOVES

St. Louis optioned catcher Ed Easley, infielder Dean Anna and Xavier Scruggs to Memphis. The Cardinals also reassigned infielder Jacob Wilson to minor league camp.

UP NEXT

Michael Wacha is to make his final spring training start Monday against Washington and Taylor Jordan. The Mets play Miami and Dan Haren.

— Associated Press —

Griffons split doubleheader with No. 17 Missouri Southern

Posted on March 28, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team split with No. 17 Missouri Southern Saturday at the Griffon Spring Sports Complex.

The Griffons forced extra innings in game one on a bases loaded walk and took game two thanks, in large part, to a passed ball and an error.

GAME 1: #17 MSSU 2, MWSU 1 (8 innings)

The Griffons tied the game at one in the bottom of the seventh but gave up what proved to be the game-winning home run in the eighth to drop their third straight, 2-1.

Zach Taylor’s walk in the bottom of the seventh pushed Ryan Degner home to tie the game at one. With the bases still loaded, Dylon Koch’s bunt was fielded by the Missouri Southern catcher, who promptly stepped on the plate for the force out and to send the game to extra innings. A two-out, solo home run won it for the Lions in the eighth with a double play ending the game. After Orencio Fisher flied out to lead-off the eighth, Trevor LaHonta singled to center. Degner ended the game by hitting into the double play.

Mike Calimeno took the loss for the Griffons. He pitched two and a third in relief of Banks Born. Born went the first five and two thirds, giving up one run on six hits.

GAME 2: MWSU 2, #17 MSSU 0

The Griffons took advantage of some Missouri Southern miscues in the sixth to score the game’s first and only runs in a 2-0 win over the No. 17 Lions.

Trevor LaHonta scored the first run on an RBI single down the left field line by Cody Childs. LaHonta and Dylon Koch had both moved up a base before Childs’ single on a passed ball. One batter later, Orencio Fisher hit into a fielder’s choice in a pinch hit at bat for Cosimo Cannella that allowed Koch to score. Fisher’s hit looked like a possible double play that would have ended the inning but the short stop didn’t step on second, allowing Childs to advance to second and Fisher beat out the throw down to first.

It was enough for the Griffons who had just four hits in the game. A.J. Martinez went all seven innings, giving up just three hits for his first complete game shutout of the season. He moved to 4-0 on the year with the win and Missouri Western improved to 18-11 and 12-7 in the MIAA. The two teams wrap up the series Sunday with a single game scheduled for 1 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats go 1-1 against Pittsburg State Saturday

Posted on March 28, 2015March 28, 2015

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with Pittsburg State at Al Ortolani Field in Pittsburg, Kan.

The Bearcats fell in game one, 5-3, but rebounded for a 9-3 win in the second game. Both games were seven inning contests.

Northwest is now 15-14 overall and 11-8 in MIAA play. The Gorillas are 8-18 overall and 4-11 in conference action.

In game one, Joseph Hietpas started for Northwest, going 4.2 innings. He struck out five batters, walking just one. He allowed eight hits and five runs.

Garrett Fort went 2-for-3 and scored two runs, while Derek Meyer had a pair of RBI, going 1-for-4 in the game. Paul Johnson was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Nick Gotta, Steven Garber and Luke Wilkinson all had one hit.

In game two, Brad Roberts went 5.1 innings, allowing just one earned run with a pair of strikeouts. He walked just one batter and allowed only four hits.

Carson Smith worked finished the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.

Meyer and Garber each collected a pair of hits and a pair of RBI on the day. Meyer scored a run and also had a stolen base.

Wulff was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Luke Wilkinson hit a two-run homerun in the second inning, while Gotta, Johnson and Fort all had base hits for the Bearcats.

The Bearcats and the Gorillas conclude the four-game series Sunday afternoon with a nine-inning contest scheduled for 1 p.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —

MWSU’s win streak reaches 16 with doubleheader sweep of Lincoln

Posted on March 28, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – After a home run fest on Friday to sweep Lindenwood, the 17th-ranked Missouri Western softball team pecked away at Lincoln on Saturday to sweep another doubleheader and run their win streak to 16 games. The wins improved the team’s record to 25-9 overall and 10-2 in the MIAA.

GAME 1: MWSU 8, Lincoln 0 (5 innings)

The Griffs broke a scoreless tie in the second with two runs, added another in the third, three in the fourth and two in the fifth to end game one early with an 8-0 win.

Shelbie Atwell picked up one of her two RBIs in the game, driving in Paige Shifflett with a single up the middle to put the home team up 1-0. Megan Korgie followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Katie Klosterman. In the third, Sydney Washington grounded out to short, scoring Tiffany Gillaspy. Korgie picked up her second and third RBIs of the game in the fourth on a single down the right field line and Morgan Rathmann’s triple in the fourth put MWSU up 6-0. Atwell pushed across another in the fifth and ended the game when she scored on an error by the short stop that allowed Morgan Rathmann to reach.

Janie Smith picked up the win, moving to 12-5 on the year. Kaylie Green went 2-3. Klosterman also was 2-3 with two runs scored and Atwell went 2-3 with two driven in and two runs scored.

GAME 2: MWSU 9, Lincoln 0 (5 innings)

Shyanne Saladino was perfect through the first four innings as the Griffons scored nine, and won another shortened game to move their win streak to 16 games.

Saladino allowed just one hit, a leadoff single in the fifth as she went five innings and picked up the win to move to 13-4 on the year. Her team gave her a big boost, taking an 8-0 lead after two innings with a six-run second. The six-run inning got started with Rebekah Mueller’s first career home run. It was a two-run shot down the right field line that also brought Brooke Schaben home.

Rathmann went 2-3 in game two with three runs scored. Gillaspy was 2-3 with two driven in and two scored. Sydney Washington also went 2-3 in game two and Klosterman was 2-2.

The Griffons improved to 14-0 at home in their 12th straight at the Spring Sports Complex. They hit the road next week, beginning with a non-conference doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday. The first pitch of game one is set for 2:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM and on StJosephPost.com.

— MWSU Sports Information —

23rd-ranked Mizzou wins at No. 1 Texas A&M to even series

Posted on March 28, 2015March 28, 2015

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 23 Mizzou baseball evened its series with top-ranked Texas A&M with a 3-2 win on Saturday afternoon (March 28) at Blue Bell Park. The win improves the Tigers to 20-8 and 6-2 in SEC play. Texas A&M falls to 26-2 and 6-2 in SEC play and the loss is the Aggies’ first at home this season.

The win for Mizzou is the eighth one-run win of the season for the squad and it is also the Tigers third over a top-10 opponent this season. The Tigers are now 8-1 in one-run games this season and 3-1 when tied after seven innings. The Tigers are also now 14-2 away from Taylor Stadium this season. Freshman Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) picked up his third win of the season, going 7.0 innings while scattering eight hits and allowing only two earned runs. He struck out three and walked two. Junior closer Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) earned the two-inning save, his seventh of the season. Texas A&M’s Ty Schlottmann took the loss, his first of the season.

Offensively, Mizzou was out-hit 12-7 and each team stranded 10 baserunners in the game. But the Tigers got the hits when they needed them. Sophomore Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) lined a full-count fastball down the right field line for a go-ahead, RBI double in the top of the eighth inning, scoring Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) from first base. Howard was one of two Tigers with a pair of hits Saturday, joining sophomore Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) who went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks. Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) and Logan Bone (Festus, Mo.) also added RBIs in the win. Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) went 1-for-3 with a walk as he reached base safely for the 25th consecutive game.

The Tigers also played phenomenal defense, getting Houck out of huge jams in the fourth and sixth innings, both times using the double-play combination of Howard and Peel. Ring also made a sensational catch in the bottom of the eighth inning to help Williams escape with a shutout frame.

Houck cruised through the first inning, but All-American Nick Banks roped a 0-2 slider into the bullpen in right field to lead off the second inning for his second homer of the year. That gave Texas A&M a 1-0 lead and the Aggies added to it in the third inning. A double by Hunter Melton to open the frame led to an RBI single by shortstop Blake Allemand, staking the Aggies to a 2-0 lead after three innings.

Mizzou evened the game in the top of the fourth thanks to an error in left field by Logan Taylor, putting runners on first and second for Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.), who roped an RBI single into right field to cut the lead in half. Logan Bone (Festus, Mo.) then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to score a run from third to tie the game at 2-2.

Both teams missed opportunities to score in the middle innings until Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) got a huge RBI double in the top of the eighth inning, scoring Lester from first. Howard worked a full count against Schlottmann and ripped an inside fastball down the right field line to score Lester from first. Williams then came on in the eighth and got a huge strikeout with runners on the corners to send the game to the ninth.

A&M put runners on the corners with just one out in the ninth inning, but Williams got a pop-up to left and a grounder to short to escape the jam, saving his seventh game of the season. He threw 33 pitches in the outing.

Mizzou and Texas A&M will play the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Blue Bell Park.

— MU Sports Information —

Northwest Missouri State softball sweeps Lindenwood

Posted on March 28, 2015

The Northwest Missouri State softball team used a pair of impressive pitching performances to sweep Lindenwood on Saturday afternoon in Maryville.

Sarah Baldwin gave up six hits in a complete game effort in game one, leading to a 5-3 Bearcat victory.

And after being one pitch away from a perfect game Friday, Kendle Schieber followed that up with a two-hit shutout in Northwest’s 5-0 victory in game two.

Northwest improved to 13-15 this season and 7-5 in the conference, while the Lady Lions fall to 6-28 and 2-14 in MIAA play.

In game one, Chantel Adams finished 2-for-3 with a grand slam, her fourth home run this season. Baylee Scarbrough added a pair of singles for the Bearcats, while Rebecca Maher scored two runs, including a solo home run in the fifth.

In game two, Schieber racked up a pair of singles, while Cassidy Lee scored two runs after reaching base three times, including a double.

Madison Jones reached base twice and scored one run, and Adams drove in two runs on a first inning single.

The Bearcats will host Missouri Western in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —