Dave Riggert – Page 761 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Western softball season ends with 5-4 loss to Winona in NCAA Tournament

Posted on May 10, 2014May 10, 2014

Winona, Minn. – The Griffon softball team fought off elimination once but could not do it twice on Saturday in the NCAA Central Regional. The Griffons beat Southern Arkansas 5-0 before falling to #1 seed and 10th ranked Winona State 5-4. The Griffons season ends with a 39-18 overall record.

Game 1
MWSU 5
SAU 0

Against the Muleriders the Griffons got a solid pithing performance from Jackie Bishop as she threw a complete game shutout. The shutout was her 12th of the year and the victory was the 26th of the season which was a new career high. Bishop struck out six in the game.

The Griffons got on the board in the third inning when Tiffany Gillaspy hit a two out double scoring Sydney Washington from first base giving them the 1-0 lead. In the fifth Morgan Rathmann got hit by a pitch and again with two outs Gillaspy blasted a homer to give the Griffons the 3-0 lead.

The Griffons put two more on the board in the 6th with three hits. Michelle Stevenson and Rathmann had RBI hits in the inning making it 5-0 going to the 7th.

Bishop gave up a single in the 7th but got out of the inning eliminating Southern Arkansas. The Muleriders ended their season with a 37-26 overall record.

The Griffons had six hits with Gillaspy going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a runs scored.

Hanna Gill got the loss for SAU going 5.1 innings giving up four hits and five earned runs with two strikeouts. She falls to 12-6 with the loss. SAU had four hits with four different players getting a hit.

Game 2
#10 WSU 5
MWSU 4

In game two the long ball hurt the Griffons as three of their five hits went over the fence including a three run homer in the first by Morgan Lintz giving the Warriors the 3-0 lead. The Griffons kept battling back tying the game at three after five.

In the third inning the Griffons loaded the bases with no one out as Katie Klosterman walked and Stevenson and Rathmann hit back-to-back singles. Klosterman scored on a ground-out by Fleschner as the Griffons cut the lead to 3-1. In the fourth Anding singled to the pitcher and Steponovich doubled to right field putting runners on second and third with one out. Stevenson hit a sac fly scoring Anding cutting the Warrior lead to 3-2 after four.

In the fifth the Griffons got things going again as Rathmann led off with a single and stole second. Gillaspy came up with two outs and singled to left field tying the game at three going to the bottom of the fifth.

Bishop set nine straight batter down until the bottom of the sixth when Jen Nelson and Lintz hit back-to-back homers giving the Warriors the 5-3 lead going to the 7th.

The Griffons did not give up as single by Gillaspy and Brooke Schaben put runners on first and third with no one out. The Griffons got a run on a Steponovich ground out but that would be it as the Griffons left one on in the inning and their ninth in the game.

The Griffons had 11 hits with Rathmann going 3-for-3 with a run. Gillaspy and Stevenson each had two hits while four other Griffons had a hit. Bishop ends her season 26-10 as she went six innings giving up five hits and five earned run.s She struckout four in the game.

The Warriors improved to 48-8 on the season Lintz going 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBI. Hanna Lythberg went 5.1 innings giving up eight hits and three earned runs while Ashley Walker got her 20th victory going 1.2 innings in relief. She gave up three hits and one earned run.

Bishop finished her career 96-29 with a 1.44 ERA. She pitched 828 innings with 977 strikeouts.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats’ Brandon Dixon drafted by Jets in sixth round

Posted on May 10, 2014

Northwest Missouri State senior cornerback Brandon Dixon was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the National Football League draft on Saturday afternoon in New York City. Dixon was the 195th overall selection and 19th selection of the sixth round.

Dixon, a defensive standout for the Bearcats, concluded his two-year career with numerous national accolades. He earned first-team All-America honors from CoSida/Daktronics after earning second team honors as a junior in 2012. He was also a first team All-America honoree by D2Football.com and the Don Hansen Committee.

An All-MIAA performer, Dixon helped lead the Bearcats to the 2013 NCAA Division II football championship. He finished his senior season with 36 tackles, 12 passes defended, 11 pass breakups, one interception and one blocked kick. He started the year against Saginaw Valley with three tackles, one pass breakup and a fumble return for a touchdown. He was named the MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week for his efforts.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Mizzou’s Gaines, Sam both selected by St. Louis on final day of NFL Draft

Posted on May 10, 2014

Two more University of Missouri football standouts heard their names called Saturday on the final day of the 2014 NFL Draft, as CB E.J. Gaines (Independence, Mo.) and DE Michael Sam (Hitchcock, Texas) were both taken by the St. Louis Rams.

Gaines, a 2013 1st-Team All-SEC performer, was taken with the 12th pick in the 6th round by the Rams (#188 selection overall), while Sam, a unanimous 1st-Team All-American in 2013, was taken with the 34th pick in the 7th round (#249 overall). They became the third and fourth Tigers taken in this years’ draft, joining MU teammates Kony Ealy (Carolina Panthers) and Justin Britt (Seattle Seahawks), who were both taken in Friday’s second round.

Gaines became the highest-drafted Mizzou cornerback since 1983, when Demetrious Johnson was the #115 overall pick by the Detroit Lions (#3 pick in 5th round). Gaines closed out his stellar Tiger career in 2013 with a career-best 75 tackles and five interceptions on the way to earning 1st-Team All-SEC recognition. He had nine tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown against Auburn in the 2013 SEC Championship Game, and a week prior recorded six tackles against Texas A&M, and helped shut down Aggie WR Mike Evans to just four catches for eight yards in the Tiger win. Gaines was also a 1st-Team All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore in MU’s last season in that league in 2011.

Sam established himself as one of the nation’s premier pass rushers in his senior season, as he became only the second unanimous 1st-Team All-American in Mizzou Football history. Sam, who was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, led the league in both tackles for loss (19.0) and quarterback sacks (11.5), as he notched 48 tackles on the season. Sam was constantly involved in big plays during Mizzou’s magical 12-2 championship season, including a 21-yard scoop-and-score fumble return touchdown at Georgia, and a sack/strip late in the 4th quarter of the AT&T Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma State which was returned for a score by teammate Shane Ray which clinched MU’s bowl victory. He becomes the ninth Mizzou defensive lineman to be drafted under the tutelage of defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski.

“We’re so happy for all of our guys,” said MU Head Coach Gary Pinkel. “They’re all very deserving, and we’re confident they’re all going to make Mizzou proud. Coach (Don) James told me when I first became a head coach that I’d start winning games when I started getting guys into the NFL, and he was right about that just like he was with most everything. And it’s not just the guys who are drafted, we’ve got a lot of other very talented guys who didn’t get picked this weekend who will make NFL rosters. We’re proud to see all of them continue to pursue their professional dreams,” he said.

— MU Sports Information —

Western softball drops heartbreaker to Augustana in NCAA Tournament opener

Posted on May 9, 2014May 9, 2014

WINONA, Minn. – The Missouri Western softball team dropped a back and forth battle in the first round of the NCAA Central Regional falling 8-7 against #23 Augustana College. The Griffons had eight hits in the game with Sydney Washington going 2-for-3 with a run scored. The Griffons will take on Southern Arkansas in an elimination game on Saturday, May 10 at 3:30 pm. The winner will take on the loser of Winona State and Augustana at 6 pm tomorrow night.

The Griffons were able to score runs in three of the seven innings but the Vikings scored in five of the seven. The Griffons got on the board in the first as Bre Fleschner and Washington led off with back-to-back singles. The Griffons loaded the bases when Tiffany Gillaspy walked. Fleschner scored on a wild pitch and Washington scored on a ground out by Taylor Anding giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead.

The Vikings responded scoring the next three runs which included a two run homer by Jenelle Troutman in the first inning which tied the score at two. The Vikings took the lead in the second when Troutman got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded giving Augie the 3-2 lead after two.

In the third the Griffons tied the score as Gillaspy led off getting hit by a pitch. She later scored on a passed ball tying the score at three. The score stayed that way until the 4th when Trautman blasted her second homer of the game giving the Vikings the 4-3 lead after four innings.

Missouri Western responded in the 5th getting three hits and four runs taking a 7-4 lead. Kat Steponovich blasted her 8th homer of the season in the inning while Gillaspy and Anding also had singles in the frame.

Things looked good for the Griffons as they shut down the Vikings in the 5th but in the 6th Augustana got their third homer of the game. This time the Griffons walked Trautman in order to get to Lindsay Spanton. Spanton took an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence tying the score at seven after the 6th.

The Griffons went down in order in the 7th and with two outs in the bottom of the 7th Sarah Kennedy hit a walk off homer downing Missouri Western.

The Vinkings improve to 44-13 on the season as they had 1- hits. Kennedy went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI while Trautmann went 2-for-2 with four RBI. Trautmann also went 3.2 innings giving up five hits and three earned runs while Carley Pickett got the win going 3.1 innings giving up three hits and three earned runs. She improves to 16-6 with the victory.

Jackie Bishop got the loss for the Griffons going 6.2 innings giving up 10 hits and eight earned runs. She walked five and struck out five in the game. She falls to 25-9 with the loss.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Griffons knock off Central Oklahoma to advance to MIAA Tournament Championship

Posted on May 9, 2014May 9, 2014

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball pounded out 13 hits on their way to a 5-2 victory over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos. The Griffons will take on the winner of Emporia State and Central Oklahoma at 11 am on Saturday, May 10 in Sringfield, Mo. This marks the second straight year that the Griffons have advanced to the MIAA Championship. The Griffons need just one victory to advance to the NCAA Central Regional. The Griffons improve to 32-18 on the season.

After getting down 1-0 in the first the Griffons scored runs in four consecutive innings taking a 5-1 lead after seven innings. In the fourth inning the Griffons got three straight singles by Jake Schrader, Hutern Weiss and Mitch Thorman loading the bases. Trevor LaHonta then got hit by a pitch tying the score at one after four innings.

In the fifth inning the Griffons got the go ahead run on three hits and used two errors Broncho errors. Cody Childs reached on an throwing error by the third baseman and scored on the same play on an throwing error by the first basemand giving the Griffons the 2-1 lead after five.

The Griffons scored two more runs in the sixth on three hits. Mitch Thorman doubled to left center and later scored on a double to left center by Ryan Degner. Degner scored on a Dylan Koch single to left fied making it 4-1 after six innings. In the seventh another single by Thorman scored Schrader helping MWSU to the 5-1 lead.

That would be all the Griffons would need as Jake Jones and Mason Queen allowed just one more run for the Bronchos in the victory. Jake Jones went six innings giving up six hits and one earned run while striking out seven. Mason Queen went three innings giving up three hits with two strikeouits. Jones improves to 7-3 with the victory.

Degner, Koch and Degner each had three hits while Schrader had two. Schrader scored two runs while Degner, Koch, Thorman and LaHonta all had an RBI.

The Bronchos had nine hits in the game with Josh Ingram going 4-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Ricky Reeves got the loss falling 8-1. He went 5.1 innings giving up nine hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts. The Bronchos fall to 37-16 with the loss.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri’s Ealy selected by Carolina in second round of NFL Draft

Posted on May 9, 2014

University of Missouri football standout Kony Ealy (New Madrid, Mo.) was selected tonight in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, who took the defensive lineman with the 28th pick of the round (60th overall pick in the draft).

Ealy is the latest in a proud lineage of Tiger defensive linemen to be taken in the NFL Draft in recent years, joining Sheldon Richardson (2013 1st round pick by the New York Jets), Aldon Smith (2011 1st round pick by the San Francisco 49ers), Ziggy Hood (2009 1st round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers) as high-round picks.

Mizzou’s most recent second round pick prior to Ealy’s selection was in 2009 when former safety William Moore was taken with the 55th overall selection by the Atlanta Falcons. Ealy also goes down as the second Tiger to ever be picked by Carolina, joining Atiyyah Ellison, who was drafted by the Panthers with the 25th pick in the third round (89th overall) of the 2005 draft.

Ealy had a breakout junior season for Mizzou in 2013, as he earned 1st-Team All-SEC honors while he helped lead the Tigers to a 12-2 season and SEC Eastern Division and Cotton Bowl championships. Ealy registered 43 tackles in 14 games (starting all 14) and was among league leaders in both tackles for loss (14.5) and quarterback sacks (9.5). He also led the Tiger defense in quarterback pressures (14) and forced fumbles (3), including one in the SEC Championship Game against Auburn that was returned by teammate E.J. Gaines for a touchdown. He also broke up six passes on the year (second on the team), and returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown in a road win at Indiana.

Ealy marks the 24th player to be drafted at Mizzou under Head Coach Gary Pinkel (2002-present). He is the eighth player under Pinkel to be taken in the first two rounds. That updated list now includes:

— MU Sports Information —

St. Louis falls in series opener at Pittsburgh

Posted on May 9, 2014May 9, 2014

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Neil Walker wasn’t expecting to have a big offensive game Friday night, especially with Michael Wacha pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The last time Wacha started at PNC Park was in the Game 4 of last year’s National League Division Series and he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Yet the hot-hitting Walker had three hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning, and drove in four runs to help the Pirates beat the Cardinals 6-4.

“Wacha is so good, as we found out last year,” said Walker, who has reached base in 22 of his last 40 plate appearances. “He throws hard and you’ve got to shorten up your swing and put the ball in play. That’s the best way to approach him because you’re usually not going to do too much against him.”

While Walker’s first two hits were against Wacha, his seventh homer came off Carlos Martinez (0-2) and rallied the Pirates from a 4-3 deficit for their third straight victory. Jordy Mercer and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez led off the inning with singles and were bunted up a base by Jose Tabata before Walker hit a drive into the right-field stands.

“Martinez is as tough as Wacha, but he hung a slider and I was able to put a good swing on it,” Walker said. “I was surprised. The guy has such great stuff that you’re not thinking that you’re going to hit a home run in that situation. It was huge.”

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said it didn’t appear that Martinez got the home run pitch “where he wanted it.”

Mercer had three of the Pirates’ 12 hits, while Ike Davis, who hit a two-run double in the first inning to open the scoring, and Tabata had two hits apiece. Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for the 10th time in 13 games at home.

Mercer’s performance was a welcome development for the Pirates and their shortstop, who is hitting just .187.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of time in the batting cage, trying to figure things out and it’s nice to have some results because I feel confident now when I step in the batter’s box,” Mercer said. “Confidence is such a big part of hitting.”

St. Louis had gone ahead earlier in the seventh on Jhonny Peralta’s solo home run, his eighth. Allen Craig’s three-run home run, his fourth, accounted for the Cardinals’ other runs.

Peralta and Craig had two hits apiece in the Cardinals’ second loss in five games.

Justin Wilson (1-0) struck out the only batter he faced, Matt Adams, to end the top of the seventh. Mark Melancon, filling as the closer for injured Jason Grilli, pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.

Both starting pitchers worked five innings and had uneven performances. Pittsburgh’s Francisco Liriano allowed three runs, five hits and four walks while striking out five, while Wacha gave up three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

Liriano has gone a career-long 11 regular-season starts without a win since beating the Texas Rangers last Sept. 10. Wacha is winless in his last five starts.

— Associated Press —

MU’s Jusin Britt taken in the second round by Seattle

Posted on May 9, 2014May 9, 2014

University of Missouri football’s Justin Britt (Lebanon, Mo.) was selected tonight in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, who took the offensive lineman with the 32nd pick of the round (64th overall pick in the draft). Britt’s selection was the second of the evening for former Mizzou players, joining defensive end Kony Ealy (Carolina, 2nd Round, 28th, 60th).

Britt and Ealy combined for two Tiger second-rounders for the first time since 1981, when running back James Wilder went to Tampa Bay with the round’s sixth pick (34th overall) and defensive back Eric Wright was selected by San Francisco with the 12th pick (40th overall).

Britt’s selection is the highest a Tiger offensive lineman has been drafted under Head Coach Gary Pinkel (2002-present). It marks the highest OL pick since tackle John Clay went to Oakland with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

Britt marks the 25th player to be drafted at Mizzou under Pinkel, and he is the ninth player under Pinkel to be taken in the first two rounds.

— MU Sports Information —

Kyle Busch dominates Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway

Posted on May 9, 2014May 9, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kyle Busch dominated the caution-filled Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway on Friday night for his second victory in two starts this year.

Busch was in control for much of the 250-mile race Friday night, when it wasn’t slowed by repeated cautions. There were nine cautions on the 1.5-mile track, including one on the first lap that set the tone for a sluggish night.

Busch won from the pole in the No. 51 Toyota. He has 37 series victories in 117 starts, also winning the opener this year at Daytona.

The caution total was just shy of the track-record 12 set in 2008.

Matt Crafton was second, followed by Joey Logano, Austin Dillon and Tayler Malsam.

— Associated Press —

Griffons hang on to defeat Northeastern State in MIAA Final Four

Posted on May 8, 2014May 8, 2014

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team used an eight inning performance from Grant Woods and three hits apiece from Dylan Koch and David Chew picking up a 12-6 victory in the opening round of the MIAA Final Four Tournament against Northeastern State. The Griffons used a six run sixth inning helping them seal the victory. The Griffons improve to 31-18 with the victory and will play Central Oklahoma or Emporia State on Friday, May 9 at 11 am.

The game saw 21 hits and four total home runs between the two teams with MWSU moving on to tomorrow’s game.

The Griffons jumped on the RiverHawks in the first inning when Cody Childs walked and back-to-back singles by Koch and Chew and a throwing error helped the Griffons go up 2-0 after one inning. The scored stayed that way until the 3rd when Koch walked and advanced to second on a balk. He later scored on a Chew single to left field giving the Griffons the 3-0 lead after three innings of play.

In the sixth the RiverHawks tied the scored getting three runs on three hits. Cody Robinson hit a two run homer tying the score at three after five and a half.

The Griffons responded nicely in their half of the sixth loading the baseas with two out. The Griffons got a break as an error by the NSU second baseman allowed Koch and Will Carter to score giving the Griffons the 5-3 lead. The next batter Trevor LaHonta hit a two RBI single and then Ryan Degner followed that up with a two RBI homer giving the Griffons the 9-3 lead after six innings.

In the seventh Dylan Koch led off with his first homer of his career and Jake Schrader got an RBI single giving the Griffons the 11-3 lead after eight. The Griffons got the run they need in the 8th on a double by Chew scoring Koch giving them the nine run cushion which they needed as NSU scored eight runs in the 9th making things interesting.

On the mound Woods pitched eight innings to earn the win. He improves to 6-2 while Mason Queen came on to earn a one pitch save. It was Queen’s fifth save of the season.

For the RiverHawks Cody Robinson was three for five with a home run and three runs driven in. Kyle Singleton also hit a home run going two for four and driving in two runs. NSU falls to 26-27 with the loss.

— MWSU Sports Information —