EMPORIA, Kan. – Griffon Baseball (14-14, 11-9) wore its rally caps to Emporia State (19-12, 13-7), overcoming a 7-0 deficit in game one of a doubleheader and nearly pulling off another comeback in game two.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 8, Emporia State 7

• The Griffons scored eight unanswered runs through the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to overcome a 7-0 deficit and pick up the win
• MWSU’s three relievers – Thomas Ruwe, Kellan Richards and Carson Dwyre – combined to allow just two hits and recorded 14 strikeouts over the final seven innings
• Dusty Stroup got the Griffons on the board and scored the first of three two-out MWSU runs in the sixth with a solo home run
• After Stroup’s blast, the next three Griffons got on base and two scored on Kyle Snuttjer’s single up the middle
• The Griffons scored two more two-out runs in the seventh on Zach Pych and Jordan Jackson singles
• Josh Robinson was hit by the first pitch in the eighth and Casey Danley tied the game four pitches later with a two-run blast to center
• Pych drove in what proved to be the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth
• Thomas Ruwe relieved Roy Robles in the third and went 4 2/3, striking out eight and allowing just one hit and one run
• Richards struck out the two batters he faced to pick up the win and Dwyre struck out four of the six he faced to pick up his third save of the season
• Stroup was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI
• Conrad McMahon, Fahd Shakeel and Brooks Day had two hits each

GAME 2
Emporia State 8, Missouri Western 5

• The Griffons, once again, mounted a comeback effort that fell short in the closing innings
• Missouri Western scored all five of its runs via home runs
• A pitcher’s duel through the first five innings, Jacob Purl held Emporia State to two hits through the first five while ESU’s Ryan Lee matched Purl’s efforts
• MWSU took a 2-1 lead on Will Jibas’ home run in the sixth, but the Hornets answered with four in the bottom of the sixth
• Down 5-2 in the seventh, Andrew Curry and Jordan Jackson hit back-to-back home runs to pull the Griffs within one
• With two out in the seventh, Wyatt Meyer pinch hit for Jibas and tied the game at five with a two-out, two-run homer to left center.
• Emporia State regained the lead, 6-5, on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh
• The Griffons got two into scoring position with one out in the eighth, but a pair of force outs left the runners on
• Emporia State added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth with the first three batters reaching and scoring two runs
• McMahon went 3-for-5 and was the only Griff with more than one hit

UP NEXT

• The two teams are scheduled to conclude the series on Saturday at noon.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western Men’s Golf made the quick trip to Kansas City for the NSIC Regional Preview on Friday, completing the first round tied for sixth in a deep field of 18 teams. The Griffons wrapped up the first round with a combined team score of 299.

Missouri Western tied Sioux Falls for the number-six spot on the team leaderboard. The Griffons are in the midst of a tightly-contested upper-half, with teams slotted fourth through seventh separated by just two strokes. Winona State currently holds the top spot with a 280 in the first round.

Tom Buffington had the top score for the Griffons, shooting a 73 (+2) to sit tied for 13th. Buffington’s two-over 73 ties his lowest single-round score for this spring.

Just one stroke behind Buffington was Cole Roberts. Roberts finished with a 74 (+3) in his first competition this spring. Lucas Horseman shot a 75 (+4) to tie for 24th heading into Saturday.

Patrick McCarthy and Jett Simmons ended the first round with scores of 77 (+6) and 78 (+7) respectively.

The Griffons will tee off the second round of the NSIC Regional Preview on Saturday morning.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Baseball was oh, so close to getting a series in as scheduled, but yet again, Mother Nature had other plans. Missouri Western’s three-game series at Emporia State has been adjusted to accommodate for the threat of rain over the weekend in Emporia, Kansas.

The Griffons and Hornets will now open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 3 p.m. The final game of the series is now scheduled for noon on Saturday, weather permitting. The Griffons have only played one game, March 26 at Northwest Missouri, as scheduled since the beginning of March.

Missouri Western will enter the Trusler Sports Complex 13-13 overall with a 10-8 record in MIAA play. Emporia State is 18-11 overall and 12-6 in the MIAA.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the third consecutive week this spring, the MIAA has named Shi Qing Ong MIAA Women’s Golf Athlete of the Week. Ong receives the this week’s honors after a dominating win at the Henderson State Invitational in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

Ong’s victory on Tuesday gives her four-straight event wins, winning each of Missouri Western’s spring competitions thus far. Ong established herself as the favorite early in the tournament after her career-best score of 67 (-5) in the opening round, eclipsing her previous-best mark of 69. She would follow that score with a 71 (-1) in the second and a 72 (E) in the third and final round on Tuesday.

With a three-round total of 210, Ong cruised to a seven-stroke win. She topped a leaderboard that included 64 golfers from 12 NCAA Div. II teams, leading the Griffons to a top-three finish. She also led the field with 11 birdies to go along with her 38 pars.

With four-straight event wins and three-straight MIAA Golfer of the Week awards, Ong and the Griffons will travel to Springfield, Missouri for the Central Region Preview on April 8.

— MWSU Atheltics —

ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball ended an 11-game homestand with a bang Tuesday night. Missouri Western (20-14, 7-5) swept a doubleheader from Lincoln (4-30, 1-15) as they won 8-0 and 13-0.

After being held to one hit and no runs through the first four innings, the Griffons had four hits and were helped by three Lincoln errors in an eight-run game two fifth inning to win by run rule. In game two, the Griffs scored early and often with two in the first, five in the second, four in the third and two in the fourth to win again via run-rule.

NOTABLES

• Nine Griffons got to the plate without an out being recorded in the eight-run game two fifth inning
• The first five Griffs to the plate all got on base to chase Lincoln starter Shannon Greene from the game. Greene had held the Griffs scoreless on just one hit through the first four innings
• On the night, Missouri Western scored 21 runs on 20 hits and eight Lincoln errors
• MWSU had six doubles and three home runs, all of the homers coming in game two
• The Griffons batted .426 and held Lincoln to a .171 average in the doubleheader
• Griffon pitchers Kaili Hinds (10-3) and Lexi Kinnaird (5-3) held Lincoln scoreless on six total hits and three walks. They combined for nine strikeouts
• Kinnaird pitched a two-hit complete game shutout with five strikeouts and just one walk. The second hit the senior allowed was a bloop to left in what proved to be the final inning.
• The Griffons were not charged with an error through 10 innings of play
• Brea Blanton went 4-for-6 in the doubleheader with four RBIs, a double and a home run. She also scored four runs and walked once.
• Sydni Hawkins and Emma Hoffart each had three hits in the doubleheader
• Morgan Frost drove in four runs and was 2-for-2 in game two with a double and a home run

UP NEXT

• The Griffs play on the road for the first time since March 12 with a trip to Fort Hays State (14-13, 7-5) on April 6 followed by a doubleheader at Nebraska-Kearney (10-16, 6-6) on April 7.

— MWSU Athletics —

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – For the fourth time in as many events this spring, Missouri Western senior Shi Qing Ong won the individual title as MWSU wrapped up play at the Henderson State Invitational on Tuesday. The Griffons placed third in the field of 12 teams and had the best finish of the five MIAA schools competing.

Missouri Western finished the event with a combined team score of 906 over the three rounds. The Griffons were consistent throughout the invitational, scoring single-round totals of 302, 300, and 304. Winning the event with a score of 893 on its home course was Henderson State, while Texas A&M Commerce took second with a 901.

Ong’s fourth-consecutive victory was never in doubt throughout the three rounds of the tournament, as the senior won the event by seven strokes. Her margin of victory becomes her largest during her current win streak. After scores of 67 (-5) and 71 (-1) on Monday, Ong closed with a 72 (E) in the third round for a total of 210.

Ong finished with a field-high 11 birdies, while also adding 38 pars. She excelled in the holes with higher pars, leading the field in both par-four and par-five scoring. The victory gives Ong her 13th win at Missouri Western.

Chong Yong shot a 77 in the third round, tying her for 28th with an overall score of 232. She also had the second-most pars on the team with 33.

Anna Bech and Jenna Kosmatka finished with scores of 235 and 236 respectively. Bech had one of the best single-round scores on the team when she shot a 74 (+2) in the second.

Katie Irvin had her best round of the event in Tuesday’s final round, shooting a 75 (+3) to bring her three-round total to 240.

Missouri Western will compete for the final time before the MIAA Championship when the team travels to Springfield, Missouri for the Central Region Spring Preview on April 8.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Tennis (9-10) snapped its recent losing skid in a convincing non-conference win over Rockhurst (9-9) on Tuesday afternoon. After dropping the doubles point early, the Griffons would go on to win five of six in the singles for a 5-2 victory.

The Griffons began the doubles with a 6-2 win from Karolina Ström and Joanna Abreu Roman. After their 15th win on Tuesday, the pair is now responsible for half of Missouri Western’s 30 doubles wins this season. After Rockhurst took the second doubles match, Federica Salmaso and Bojana Vuksan fell in a narrow 7-5 defeat, giving the Hawks the point heading into singles.

After dropping the first matchup on the number two courts to fall behind 2-0, the Griffons won the final five singles matches to earn the win. Ström and Ciarra Gilmore both made quick work of their opponents in two-set victories. Abreu Roman also took two close 7-5 sets from her opponent on her way to a win on the number three court.

Salmaso and Vuksan both won their matches in three sets at number five and six respectively. After losing the first set 6-3, Salmaso rebounded to win the final two sets 6-4, 6-3, giving the junior her ninth win of the season.

Missouri Western will continue its streak of home matches at the team hosts Lindenwood (0-8, 0-1 MIAA) on Saturday.

MWSU VS. RU
SINGLES
Karolina Ström (MWSU) def. Sam Czarnecki (RU) 6-3, 6-1
Anilu Barraza (RU) def. Mireia Birosta (MWSU) 6-2, 6-0
Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) def. Octavia Malin (RU) 7-5, 7-5
Ciarra Gilmore (MWSU) def. Emma Persson (RU) 6-2, 7-5
Federica Salmaso (MWSU) def. Paula Romero (RU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Bojana Vuksan (MWSU) def. Sara Flaxbeard (RU) 6-0, 1-6, 6-3

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Czarnecki/Malin (RU) 6-2
Barraza/Romero (RU) def. Maldonado/Dunn (MWSU) 6-3
Flaxbeard/Persson (RU) def. Salmaso/Vuksan (MWSU) 7-5

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – It took a lot of back-and-forth to get there, but Missouri Western’s Brooks Day ended it quickly. The senior infielder rifled a 1-0 pitch just inside the left field foul pole for a leadoff, walk-off home run on Monday against Central Oklahoma as MWSU beat the Bronchos 7-6 at the Griffon Spring Sports Complex.

Griffon baseball (13-13, 10-8) held the lead three different times and UCO (18-11, 11-7) twice tied and twice took the lead from the Griffons before Day’s blast in the ninth ended the tussle and salvaged a win in the three-game series for the home team.

NOTABLES

• Casey Danley drove in Conrad McMahon on a ground out in the third to put the Griffs up 1-0
• UCO tied the game in the fourth with an RBI triple
• A Kyle Snuttjer single in the bottom of the fourth put the Griffs up 2-1
• The Bronchos took over the lead with a three-run fifth inning
• An RBI double by Jordan Jackson got the Griffs within one in the fifth, but UCO answered with another run in the top of the sixth
• A two-out, pinch hit double down the left field line by Josh Robinson drove in two to tie the game at five in the seventh
• McMahon saved a run in the eighth when he threw a runner out at home after catching a fly ball
• Dusty Stroup doubled with two-out in the eighth and Jordan Jackson drove him in to put MWSU up 6-5, but UCO answered again, tying the game in the top of the ninth
• Day hit the game-winner on the second pitch thrown in the bottom of the ninth

LEADERS

• Stroup finished 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and three runs
• McMahon was 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base
• Jackson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs
• Day went 2-for-4 with two runs scored
• Carson Dwyre (1-2) picked up the win, pitching the final three innings. He gave up two hits and one run, struck out two and walked two

UP NEXT

• A three-game series at Emporia State (18-11, 12-6), April 5-7
• The Hornets just came off dropping two of three to Missouri Southern at home.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball (18-14, 5-5) battled back to take the first game of a doubleheader with Lindenwood (17-11, 6-8) Monday night, but one rough inning put a sweep out of reach.

Missouri Western trailed 3-0 in game one, before getting the offense going late to win game one 6-3. In game two, Lindenwood broke things open with eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings – five in the fifth – to win 9-3.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 6, Lindenwood 3

• A three-run fourth by the Griffs tied the game at three
• Emma Hoffart put the first MWSU run on the board, scoring on a throwing error by the Lindenwood catcher following an infield single by Shelby Uhl
• With the bases loaded and two out, Brea Blanton singled to center to drive in two more in the fourth
• Sydni Hawkins put the Griffs up 5-3 with a double to left center
• Morgan Frost drove in an insurance run in the sixth with a double down the left field line
• Lexi Kinnaird worked around some early trouble to move to 4-3 with her second-straight win. She gave up three runs on six hits through seven innings with four strikeouts and two walks
• Hoffart was 3-for-4 with two runs
• Blanton was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs

Game 2
Lindenwood 9, Missouri Western 3

• After Blanton hit a leadoff homer in the first, the Griffons had a hard time getting runs in against Lindenwood starter Stormee Galka
• A 1-1 game after four innings, Lindenwood broke it open with five in the fifth, aided by two Griffon errors
• MWSU committed its third error of the game in a three-run sixth inning for Lindenwood
• Facing a run-rule shortened loss, the Griffons rallied for two in the bottom of the sixth
• Gabi Carter got the rally going with a leadoff double and Hawkins drove in Tamara Hicks who was running for Carter with a double of her own two batters later
• Cassidy Kelsheimer made the first out of the inning productive with a sacrifice fly, but the next two batters were retired
• MWSU had three doubles and a home run in the game and left seven runners stranded
• Kenzie Hilzer took the loss, giving up all nine runs on 11 hits through six innings. She struck out four and walked one

UP NEXT

• A home doubleheader at 4 p.m. against Lincoln (4-28, 1-13) on Tuesday
• The Blue Tigers were outscored 30-2 in a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri on Monday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western senior pitcher Anthony Castaneda suffered his first loss of the season as the Griffons (12-13, 9-8) fell 5-1 to Central Oklahoma (18-10, 11-6) on Sunday afternoon.

A two-run home run in the first were the only runs Castaneda surrendered, but they were enough to hold back a Griffon offense that was limited to one run on six hits.

NOTABLES

• Castaneda fell to 6-1 on the season with a seven-inning start on Sunday. He struck out seven, and walked two, both walks coming in the first two innings
• Nolan Monthei pulled the Griffs within one with a solo home run on the first pitch of the third
• MWSU got two more runners on in the third, but couldn’t get them home
• For the game, the Griffons left six on base
• UCO added three insurance runs in the ninth on the Griffon bullpen
• Missouri Western was charged with two errors for the second day in a row
• Talbott Buford entered in the ninth, making his first relief appearance since Feb. 8. He retired the one batter he faced

UP NEXT

• The series finale is scheduled for a noon first pitch on Monday.

— MWSU Athletics —