ST. JOSEPH – The No. 15 Griffon Softball team turned to theatrics once again, splitting a non-conference doubleheader with Northwest Missouri State. The Griffons rallied in the seventh inning of both games, coming up short in game one, but tying game two before an extra-inning victory.

Game 1: Northwest Missouri 3, #15 MWSU 2

Missouri Western tried to mount another seventh inning rally against the Bearcats, but came up just short with the tying run at first base.

Down 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, Taylor Hamilton led off with a double up the middle. Shelby Uhl scored, running for Hamilton, two batters later on Katie Klosterman’s one-out double to left center. Sydney Washington got Klosterman to third with a fly ball to center that went all the way to the warning track. Megan Korgie singled down the right field line to drive in Klosterman, but Rebekah Mueller popped up to the shortstop to the game.

The Griffons’ three hits in the inning gave them five for the game. Kendle Schieber held Missouri Western to two hits through the first six innings. All the Northwest Missouri State runs came via Alexix Kelsey home runs. She hit two for the Bearcats, a two-run shot to right in the first and a solo homer to left in the fourth. Other than Kelsey’s two long balls, the Bearcats were limited to two hits off Janie Smith.

Game 2: #15 MWSU 4, Northwest Missouri 3 (8 innings)

Down 3-1 headed to the bottom of the seventh, Katie Klosterman started what had to feel like Déjà vu for the Bearcats. The junior led off the inning with a home run to right center that Sydney Washington followed with a home run down the left field line to tie the game. Missouri Western stranded a runner on second.

Taylor Hamilton then did it again, earning her third walk-off hit of the season with a double to right center that scored Paige Shifflett who singled to lead off the eighth. Riley Wilson got Shifflett to second with a pinch-hit sacrifice bunt.

The Griffons were able to overcome four errors in the game and just three hits through the first six innings. Hamilton went 3-4 in the game and Washington was 2-3. Shyanne Saladino picked up the win that moved Missouri Western to 35-11 overall.

Missouri Western now hits the road to end the season with doubleheaders at Washburn and Emporia State on April 22 and 23.

— MWSU Athletics —

HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team (26-11, 18-8) continued an impressive string of high run totals in a 16-7 win in the first of three games at Fort Hays State (17-20, 11-15).

The Griffons had three, four-run innings and four, one-run innings to open the series with Fort Hays. Missouri Western has scored 78 total runs in its last five games, averaging 15.6 in that span, and 9.24 now on the season.

Two of the Griffons’ hottest hitters drove in the first four runs. David Glaude, the reigning MIAA Hitter of the Week, picked up an RBI on a ground out in the first. Brandon Downs made it 2-0, Griffs, in the second with an RBI single. Then Glaude drove in two more to begin a four-run third with a double down the left field line. Glaude finished the game 3-4 with six RBIs and a run scored. It was Glaude’s third-straight three-hit game and his fourth in the last five games. He’s went 14-23 with 16 RBIs in his last six games.

Orencio Fisher was 4-5 in the game with two RBIs and three runs scored. Downs was 2-4 with three RBIs, including his fifth home run in the last three games. Downs’ home run also raised the team’s season total to 55, nine short of the season record set in 2013. Nick Gawley went 2-5 with two RBIs and Cosimo Cannella was 2-5 with an RBI. Landon Mason extended his hitting streak to 19 games, going 1-2 at the plate.

Weston Caindec moved to 4-1 on the season with the win. He went seven and a third, giving up five runs, just two of them earned, on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western head volleyball coach Marian Carbin has announced the addition of three student-athletes for the 2016 season.

Stephanie Doak, Erin Erb and Lauren Murphy have signed national letters of intent to play volleyball at Missouri Western. The three spring signees bring the total to four necomers for the 2016 season. Tiana Butler signed her letter of intent in November.

“This class is so dynamic. We are excited about the versatility of the hitters in this class and the high level of club volleyball experience that each of them brings to the table,” Carbin said. “They have played for some of the most elite club programs across the country; from Sports Performance and Sky High in Chicago, to Triangle and Wave in North Carolina and California respectively.”

“They have definitely played against the best of the best, which makes them more than prepared for what they will see on a nightly basis in our league and in our region. We are very eager to see what the future holds for these four young ladies now that they are officially members of the Griffon Volleyball family.”

Doak will come to Missouri Western from Encinitas, California. The 6-1 right side hitter played at Audeo Charter High School.

“Stephanie is a tall, physical player on the right side who can also take swings from the middle or outside if necessary,” Carbin said. “She says her favorite part of the game is blocking the other team’s best outside hitters and we are excited to watch her do just that for the next four years.”

Erb comes to MWSU from Huntley, Illinois, where she played at Huntley High School. The 6-0 outside hitter totaled 825 kills, 182 blocks, 317 digs and 147 service aces.

“Erin is a strong, powerful outside hitter from the Chicago area,” Carbin said. “She hits a very heavy ball from the outside, and she’s a strong force as a blocker.”

Murphy also comes to Missouri Western from Illinois. The 5-9 setter prepped at Plainfield North High School in Plainfield.

“Lauren is a well-trained setter with a smooth style of play that makes the game look easy,” Carbin said. “She is a technically sound player and has an advanced understanding of offenses and how to bring out the best in her hitters.”

The 2015 team went 21-10 overall and 12-6 in MIAA play. Carbin has led a resurgence, winning more than 20 matches the last two seasons and going a combined 59-33 in her first three seasons as the head coach at her alma mater. The Griffons will begin the 2016 season on Sept. 2 at the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kansas. Missouri Western will play University of Mary, Drury, Quincy and Midwestern State that weekend.

— MWSU Athletics —

The Missouri Western softball team is fourth in the first Central Region ranking that was released by the NCAA on Wednesday.

The 15th-ranked Griffons are the only MIAA team that is ranked as they are 34-10 and atop the MIAA at 19-3.  Despite what they’ve done in league play, MWSU is behind another league opponent in the regional rankings.  Northwest Missouri State is third as they are 33-9 overall and 17-5 in the MIAA.

Arkansas Tech (38-5) in No. 1 in the Central Region right now, followed by Southern Arkansas (33-6), Northwest and Missouri Western.

The top eight team qualify for the NCAA Tournament as the top two seeds will host two four-team regional tournaments.

Minnesota State (30-11) is fifth in the regional rankings, followed by Central Oklahoma (30-14), Pittsburg State (33-14) and Augustana (28-11).

Missouri Western is back in action Thursday as they host Northwest Missouri State for two non-league games begining at 4:00 p.m.  The games won’t count in the MIAA race, but are very big in the regional rankings.

Both games will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM or you can click here to listen.

ST. JOSEPH – Win eight games in a row, take a two-game lead atop the conference standings, move up three spots in the national poll. That’s been the chain of events for the Missouri Western softball team over the last week.

The Griffons (34-10, 19-3) moved up to No. 15 in the latest NFCA Division II Coaches poll after extending their winning streak to eight games over the weekend. The eighth win in that streak completed a doubleheader sweep of Pittsburg State and gave Missouri Western a two-game lead over the Gorillas and Northwest Missouri State for first place in the MIAA. It was the fourth straight MIAA doubleheader sweep for the team that has won 12 of its last 14 games, and is 24-4 since Mar. 4.

Missouri Western will take a break from MIAA play this week, even with a doubleheader against conference rival, and current second place, Northwest Missouri State. Thursday’s home doubleheader with the Bearcats will not count as conference games. It’s also the Griffons’ final home regular season games this year. Jen Trotter’s team wraps up the regular season with games at Washburn (April 22) and Emporia State (April 23).

Click here to view entire poll.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – An unbelievable offensive weekend by the Missouri Western baseball team has garnered individual honors for one Griffon.

David Glaude became the first Griffon to be named MIAA Hitter of the Week. Glaude batted .571, slugged 1.500 and reached base at a .714 clip. The senior infielder was 8-14 at the plate with a team-high nine runs scored and 10 RBIs. He hit three of the team’s 14 home runs on the weekend and added two doubles and a triple. In the field, Glaude committed just one error in four starts while recording seven putouts and 13 assists.

The Griffons went 3-1, sweeping a three-game series at Central Oklahoma that saw the team score 54 runs and hit 13 home runs. Glaude was one of three Griffons to bat over .500 last week (Kody Matthews-.533; Brandon Donws-.500). Two others were under .500, but over .430 (Landon Mason-.467; Jeremy Alvarado-.438).

It’s the second week in a row a Griffon has taken an MIAA weekly honor. Richard Peoples was named MIAA Co-Pitcher of the week last week. Missouri Western travels to Northwest Missouri State for a single game, Wednesday at 2 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri Western Women’s Golf claimed eighth place at the Central Region Spring Preview, scoring a 656 over the two day event. The event was played at Rivercut Golf Course which plays a par 72 – 6167 yard course.

All five Griffons improved their scores by at least three strokes from the first round of the tournament. Freshman Shi Qing Ong now has six top-10 finishes this year, finishing in seventh place individually at the Central Region Preview. She finished with a 154 in the tournament. Celine Lim scored a 165, placing her tied for 38th in the standings. Callie Wilson finished the tournament with a 167 in the two rounds of golf, sitting tied for 46th.

The Griffons made the biggest jump, improving three spots in the standings after day two. MWSU finished two strokes behind Concordia St. Paul for seventh place.

Augustana University held the top spot, tallying a team score of 618. They finished one stroke ahead of Northeastern State for the first place in the tournament.

The MIAA championships will be played next weekend in Lawrence, Kansas at the Alvamar Golf Course.

— MWSU Athletics —

EDMOND, Okla. – After the Missouri Western baseball team scored 22 runs at Central Oklahoma on Saturday, they were due for a calm, low-scoring effort on Sunday. Instead, the team matched its 22 runs and, again, tied the school record for home runs in a game with six.

The difference, Sunday, was Richard Peoples. The reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Week limited the Bronchos to two runs on nine hits. Offensively, it was much of the same, including another two-home run day for Brandon Downs, his second in as many days. Also homering for the Griffons on Sunday were Orencio Fisher, David Glaude, Nick Gawley and Cosimo Cannella.

Down 1-0 after the first, Missouri Western took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second, but UCO tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. It was all Griffons from there. Gawley and Fisher homered in a seven-run third inning for Missouri Western. Both home runs were two-run shots. Andrew Ramirez cleared the bases with a double in the inning. After adding two more runs in the fifth, the Griffons scored six in the sixth and five in the seventh.

Glaude and Gawley each had three hits and five RBIs. Glaude was 3-3 with three runs scored and three walks, reaching in all six plate appearances. Fisher also had a three-hit day, going 3-5 with four runs scored and three RBIs. Downs had three RBIs and three runs scored while going 2-3 at the plate.

On the weekend, Missouri Western scored 54 runs on 48 hits; hit 13 home runs and 11 doubles. Most importantly, the team moved back into a third place tie with Washburn in the MIAA standings. The Griffons moved to 24-11 overall, 16-8 in conference play and are now 17-4 on the road. A conference road swing continues next week with a single game at Northwest Missouri on Apr. 13 before a three-game series at Fort Hays State beginning Apr. 15.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.  – Missouri Western Women’s Tennis dropped its second straight match in as many days, falling to #16 Northeastern State 7-2 on Sunday afternoon. It’s the Griffons first time losing two straight matches all season long.

The Griffons started the day with two points after NSU defaulted at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles matches. Northeastern State managed to take all seven contests in convincing fashion, taking the singles matches in straight sets.

In doubles competition, Sofia Aguilera and Yasmine El Ghazi lost 8-3 in the No. 1 spot and in the No. 2 spot Joanna Abreu Roman and Sarah Giraldo suffered defeat 8-2.

Singles competition
1. #32 Husakova,Patricia (NSU) def. El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) 6-0, 4-3, retired
2. Panferova,Daria (NSU) def. Giraldo,Sarah (MWSU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Efimenko,Valeriia (NSU) def. Aguilera,Sofia (MWSU) 6-3, 6-0
4. Worden,Molly (NSU) def. Abreu Roman,Joanna (MWSU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Tomaic,Karla (NSU) def. Chiao,Denise (MWSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. No player (MWSU) def. No player (NSU), by default

Doubles competition
1. Husakova,Patricia/Worden,Molly (NSU) def. Aguilera,Sofia/El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) 8-3
2. Efimenko,Valeriia/Tomaic,Karla (NSU) def. Abreu Roman,Joanna/Giraldo,Sarah (MWSU) 8-2
3. No player/No player (MWSU) def. No player/No player (NSU), by default

The Griffons will be on the road April 15th against Southwest Baptist, starting at 3 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —