MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – The Missouri Western men’s golf team finished in second place at the Bear Bank Invitational hosted by Henderson Sate, while the women finished in fourth place.

The MWSU men finished in second place with a team score of 585 only six strokes behind tournament winner Henderson State.

The Griffons had three individuals finish within the top-10 to help propel them to a second place finish. Corey Knight and Ryan Hand both scored a 146 in their two rounds to finish tied for third. Jakob Rudosky tallied a 148 and finished ninth individually.

Brice Howard of Henderson State finished with a 142 and took first place individually at the Bear Bank Invitational.

The Missouri Western women finished 51 strokes back of the winning team, recording a score of 651

The Griffons’ top finisher was Celine Lim, who scored a 79 and a 76 in her two rounds of golf to finish with a 155 and in eighth place as an individual. Madison Romjue improved her second day score by six strokes while shooting a 164. Amber Chivington finished tied for 20th place at 165.

The individual winner was of Central Oklahoma Marla Souvannasing, scoring a 73 and 70 in her two rounds of golf.

Central Oklahoma also claimed the team title with a team score of 600.

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH, MO. – The Missouri Western women’s tennis team fell 5-4 against William Jewell on Tuesday afternoon.

The Griffons took two doubles matches to start off the day with Yasmine El Ghazi and Sarah Giraldo winning 9-8 (7-2) and in the No. 3 spot Kayla Dysart and Denise Chiao won 8-4.

Missouri Western claimed two singles matches as well but it wasn’t enough to beat William Jewell. In the No. 4 singles match Yasmine El Ghazi beat Loree Hazelrigg 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Senior Ceara Boldridge defeated Seki Anderson by the score of 6-3, 6-3.

The Griffons will be at home on Saturday, April 11 against Lincoln and Southwest Baptist starting at 10:00 am.

Singles competition
1. Drew,Savannah (WJ) def. Giraldo,Sarah (MWSU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Hazelrigg,Conner (WJ) def. Aguilera,Sofia (MWSU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
3. Navarro,Sabrine (WJ) def. Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) 6-4, 6-4
4. El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) def. Hazelrigg,Loree (WJ) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
5. Mackay,Claire (WJ) def. Chiao,Denise (MWSU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Boldridge,Ceara (MWSU) def. Anderson,Seki (WJ) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Giraldo,Sarah/El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) def. Lehenbauer,Katy/Navarro,Sabrine (WJ) 9-8 (7-2)
2. Hazelrigg,Conner/Hazelrigg,Loree (WJ) def. Aguilera,Sofia/Boldridge,Ceara (MWSU) 8-0
3. Chiao,Denise/Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) def. Drew,Savannah/Mackay,Claire (WJ) 8-4

— MWSU Sports Information —

HAYS, Kan. – For the first time in the four-game series, the Missouri Western baseball team built a lead that Fort Hays couldn’t overcome. After dropping three straight on walk-offs, MWSU took the fourth and final game of the series to earn a day two split and get out of Hays with one win in four tries.

Despite losing the series, Ryan Degner had a memorable day and series. The senior outfielder hit three home runs Saturday, including two in the first inning of game four. On the weekend, he went 10-19 at the plate with four home runs, 10 RBIs and seven runs scored. Degner also hit a double and a triple in the series.

GAME 1: Fort Hays 8, MWSU 7

For the third straight game, Fort Hays State downed Missouri Western with in walk-off fashion. The Griffons saw a three-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh evaporate and a two-out home run end the game.

MWSU led 7-4 after scoring three in the top of the seventh. Mike Calimeno walked the leadoff batter in the bottom half of the inning but coaxed a pop fly to the next. Then another walk put two runners on with one out. Calimeno struck out the next batter but a balk to the next put two runners in scoring position with the tying run at the plate. One swing of the bat tied it with a three run home run. Calimeno was then replaced by Gehrig Hudson, who surrendered the game winning home run on a 2-2 pitch.

Ryan Degner homered in the game and went 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Orencio Fisher was 3-4 with one driven in, a triple and a run scored. Andrew Ramirez and David Glaude both had two hits. Hudson took the loss, facing just one batter. A.J. Martinez pitched the first five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits.

GAME 2: MWSU 9, Fort Hays 5

The Griffons jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the top of the first. That half inning included two home runs from Degner, including a leadoff solo shot. MWSU would not score another run as Fort Hays tried to chip away but could never put together more than one run in any inning.

Degner finished 3-5 with two home runs, four driven in and two runs scored. Cody Childs was also 3-5, while Cosimo Cannella and Corbin Duffy each went 2-4. Dylon Koch was 2-5. Grant Woods picked up the win, going six innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. Kyle Kelly pitched three innings in relief, allowin gone run on one hit and striking out five.

MWSU sits at 19-15 on the year with a 13-11 mark in MIAA play. The team takes a break from conference play with a doubleheader at home versus Truman State on Tuesday.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KEARNEY, Neb. – After a sleepy offensive performance in game one, the bats came awake in game two as the No. 14 Missouri Western softball team earned a split at Nebraska-Kearney Saturday. The split left the team 2-2 after a weekend road swing.

GAME 1: Nebraska-Kearney 3, #14 MWSU 1

Missouri Western jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first game of the day but couldn’t manage any more offense or keep the Lopers off the board.

Nebraska-Kearney tied the game at one in the bottom of the first and added two more in the fifth to take the game 3-1. Paige Shifflett was the only Griffon with more than one hit, going 2-3 with one driven in. The Griffons left five on base. Janie Smith was tagged with the loss. The junior gave up three earned runs on six hits in six innings. She struck out three and walked two.

GAME 2: #14 MWSU 10, Nebraska-Kearney 1 (6 innings)

The Griffons did all their scoring in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to get out of Kearney with a doubleheader split.

Trailing 1-0 after three, Sydney Washington led off the fourth by reaching on an error. Paige Shifflett put two on when she singled and Kailey Green reaching on a fielder’s choice brought Washington in to even the game at one. After Katie Klosterman lined out to the short stop, Shelbie Atwell put MWSU up 3-1 with a two-run home run to left center. Morgan Rathmann led off the top of the fifth with a triple, then scored on the play after a throwing error gave her time to get home. The team added three more in the inning on an RBI single by Shifflett, an RBI double by Kailey Green and an RBI single by Klosterman. MWSU tacked on three more in the sixth, beginning with Tiffany Gillaspy driving in two when she hit into a fielder’s choice. Shifflett added another RBI with a double to left center two batters later.

Shyanne Saladino picked up the win, going all six innings. She allowed just one run on five hits. All but one Griffon had at least one hit in the game. Shifflett went 3-4 with two RBIs. Green drove in two as did Atwell. Rathmann went 2-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.

The team sits at 28-12 after the weekend and 12-4 in the MIAA. They take a brief break from travel with a doubleheader at home against Central Missouri on Tuesday.

— MWSU Sports Information —

HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team came up on the short end of two offensive explosions Friday at Fort Hays State.  The Tigers swept a doubleheader on day one of the series, winning both games in walk-off fashion.

GAME 1: Fort Hays 10, MWSU 9

The Tigers came out on top of a back and forth game that saw both teams come back from three runs down, Fort Hays accomplishing it twice. Fort Hays tied the game at nine on a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, then won the game with a bases loaded sacrifice fly.

The Griffons jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first with an RBI single from Mitch Thorman and a two-run home run from David Glaude. Fort Hays jumped ahead 5-3 with five runs in the second. MWSU got one in the third, then hit three home runs in a four-run fourth inning to take an 8-5 lead. Trevor LaHonta led off the inning with solo shot down the left field line. Cosimo Cannella hit a two-run shot to center and Glaude followed with his second of the game. Hays got within two with a solo home run in the bottom half of the fourth but the Griffons made it a three-run lead with Glaude’s fourth RBI of the game making the score 9-6.

Glaude finished game one 3-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Ryan Degner was 3-5, hitting a double and a triple and scoring two runs. Dylon Koch and Cannella each had two hits. Mike Calimeno was tagged with the loss. He pitched two thirds of an inning in relief of starter Banks Born. Calimeno gave up two runs on three hits. Born went six innings, allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits.

GAME 2: Fort Hays 17, MWSU 16

Runs, runs and more runs was the theme of game two. Fort Hays scored in every inning except the fourth and the Griffons scored in all but the third, sixth and ninth innings. An RBI single up the middle brought the winning run home with two out in the bottom of the ninth.

This one was really about offense and not much else. The Griffons had 18 hits, which included four home runs, two triples and a double. On the other side, Fort Hays matched MWSU’s home run total and added two doubles with no triples. MWSU used five pitchers, including game one starter Banks Born. Born took the loss, his first of the season, going two thirds of an inning.

Glaude hit his third home run of the day in the eighth. His solo shot to left tied the game at 15. The next batter, Cody Childs hit his own solo homer to left that put the Griffons up by one. Fort Hays tied the game in the bottom half of the inning and won it on the single in the ninth.

Missouri Western led by five, 12-7, after scoring six in the top of the fifth. Down by one going into the fourth, LaHonta hit his second home run of the day, Childs added an RBI single, Corbin Duffy drove in two with a single and Ryan Degner hit a three-run home run down the left field line to give MWSU a brief five-run advantage.

Mitch Thorman, Duffy and LaHonta all had three hits. Degner went 2-6 with three RBIs and two scored. Orencio Fisher was 2-6 with four RBIs and a runs scored. Childs drove in two and scored two. Duffy drove in three and scored three times. Starter Josh Lansangan gave up seven runs on six hits in two and a third innings of work. All five Griffon pitchers surrendered at least one run.

The losses dropped MWSU to 18-14 overall and 12-10 in the MIAA. The two teams play another doubleheader on Saturday.

— MWSU Sports Information —

HAYS, Kan. – Two valiant comeback efforts ran out of time in Hays Friday afternoon as the Missouri Western softball team split a doubleheader with Fort Hays State Friday. The Tigers nearly came back from seven down in game one and the Griffons came up one run short of completing a seven run comeback themselves in game two.

GAME 1: #14 MWSU 7, Fort Hays 5

Missouri Western held off a late charge by Fort Hays to pick up the victory in game one. The Tigers scored five runs in the last two innings and brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.

The Griffons jumped out to a 7-0 lead after five and a half innings. The Tigers picked up three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to make it interesting. Kailey Green hit a three-run, two out home run in the first to put MWSU on the board. Green scored the team’s fourth run of the game in the fourth when she scored on Shelbie Atwell’s ground out. MWSU got three more two-out runs in the sixth. Tiffany Gillaspy drove in two with a doubled down the left field line and Sydney Washington made it 7-0 with a single up the middle that brought Gillaspy home.

Janie Smith hung on for the win, going all seven innings and allowing three earned runs on seven hits. She struck out four and walked three. Smith improved her record to 13-5 on the year. Green went 2-4 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored. Atwell and Megan Korgie both went 2-3, as did Washington.

GAME 2: Fort Hays 8, #14 MWSU 7

A similar script with a role reversal from game one saw Fort Hays jump out to a 7-0 lead after the first two innings. After one run in each in the third and fourth innings, the Griffons scored three in the fifth and two in the sixth to have a chance headed to the seventh.

After two straight one-hit shutouts, Shyanne Saladino had her scoreless innings streak snapped when she gave up a three-run home run in the first. Then she gave up another in the second that chased her from the game, or so it seemed. Taylor Schaben gave up a two-run home run to the first batter she faced in relief. Two batters later it became a 7-0 lead for the Tigers.

Sydney Washington put MWSU on the board in the top of the third with an RBI single and Kailey Green’s second home run of the day pulled the Griffon within five in the fourth. After an error and a single put two Fort Hays runners on in the fourth, Saladino reentered. She surrendered an RBI-single that put Fort Hays up 8-2 before recording the final out of the inning. An RBI single from Katie Klosterman and a two-RBI single from Shelbie Atwell pulled the Griffons within three in the fifth. MWSU added two more in the sixth with a run scoring when Gillaspy reached on an error and an RBI double from Green. Saladino retired the Tigers in order in the bottom of the inning to set up the last chance for MWSU. Atwell led off the top of the seventh with a walk before Brooke Schaben popped up to the shortstop. Rebekah Mueller reached on a fielder’s choice that took Atwell off the bases and another pop up to short by Rathmann ended the game.

Green finished game two 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. On the day, she was 4-7 with five RBIs and four runs scored. Klosterman also had two hits in game two, going 2-3.

The split left the team’s record at 27-11, 11-3 in the MIAA. MWSU plays at Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday.

— MWSU Sports Information —

MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team saw its 16-game win streak snapped Tuesday but got out of Maryville with a split against Northwest Missouri State.  The Griffons lost game one 9-6 but bounced back to win the second game 2-0.

GAME 1: Northwest Missouri State 9, MWSU 6

An impressive comeback effort came up short as Northwest Missouri scored three in the bottom of the sixth to snap the Griffons’ 16-game win streak with a 9-6 win in game one.

Trailing 6-1 after three innings, MWSU scored three in the fifth and to in the sixth to tie the game at six apiece. A leadoff single, a walk and some defensive miscues led to three Northwest Missouri State runs in the bottom of the sixth that propelled the Bearcats to the win.

Missouri Western pulled within three in the fifth on a wild pitch that allowed Tiffany Gillaspy to score and a Paige Shifflett that drove Sydney Washingon home. The Griffons added one more in the inning when Shelbie Atwell grounded into a fielder’s choice. On the play, the Northwest shortstop was charged with obstruction, allowing Shifflett to score as the Bearcats ran for the dugout thinking the third out had been recorded. Gillaspy pushed the team’s fifth run across in the sixth on an error by the shortstop and Shifflett tied it with a two-out double off the left field wall.

Taylor Schaben picked up her first loss of the season, relieving starter Janie Smith. Schaben went four innings, allowing three runs – just one earned – on two hits. Shifflett finished game one 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Katie Klosterman was also 2-4.

GAME 2: MWSU 2, Northwest Missouri St. 0

Shyanne Saladino pitched her second straight one-hit shutout as the Griffons salvaged the split with a 2-0 win in game two.

The Griffons got the only two runs they needed in the fourth inning on solo home runs from Gillaspy and Shifflett. Gillaspy hit her 12th of the season on the first pitch of the inning and Shifflett gave MWSU a 2-0 lea two batters later with a solo shot to center field. Saladino was nearly unhittable, going all seven innings and allowing just one hit to the second batter of the game. She struck out five and walked two.

Missouri Western leaves Maryville with a 26-10 record. They travel to Fort Hays State for a doubleheader on Friday and Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Missouri Western Women’s Golf team achieved its highest finish so far this season with a second place showing at the UNK Spring Invitational. The team fired a two-round total score of 642, nine strokes behind event champion Nebraska-Kearney.

Tiffanie Yabut led the Griffons with a 79 in each round and finished in a tie for second among individuals. Celine Lim also had a good showing, finishing in a tie for ninth place. Lim used a 75 on day two to finish the event with a 158.

Madison Romjue and Callie Wilson were tied for 14th place with a 164. Wilson kept pace with Yabut on day two, shooting 79. Amber Chivington finished 22nd individually with an 81 on day one and an 86 on day two.

The team travels to Mountain Home, Arkansas next week for the First Federal Bank Invitational hosted by Henderson State April 6-8.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Missouri Western women’s golf team currently sits second after day one at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Spring Invitational at Awarii Dunes Country Club in Axtell, Nebraska.

The Griffons are just three shot back of Nebraska-Kearney as they shot a 328 on day one.

Western is led by Tiffanie Yabut who currently sits second individually with a score of 79. Amber Chivington is tied for fourth overall with a score of 81.

UNK’s Samantha Crawford is the individual after shooting a 76 on the day.

The final round starts at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday with a shot gun start.

— MWSU Sports Information —