ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team extended its winning streak to eight games Friday by defeating Minnesota State and Northern State on the opening day at the Apple Market Classic at the MWSU softball field.

Game 1 – Missouri Western 4, Minnesota State 2

The Griffons jumped out to a 2-0 lead after four with an RBI double from Tiffany Gillaspy in the first and a solo home run from Katie Klosterman in the fourth. Minnesota State knotted the game up at two in the top of the fifth when the Mavericks scored two on an error. Gillaspy put MWSU up 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning when she drove in her second of the game, this time on a sacrifice fly to center. Paige Shifflett hit the Griffons’ second homer of the game in the fifth to give the team an insurance run.

Janie Smith moved to 8-5 with the win, allowing just two unearned runs on 11 hits, while striking out three. Morgan Rathmann went 2-3 with two runs scored. Klosterman was 2-3 with one run scored and one driven in. Gillaspy finished 1-2 with two driven in.

Missouri Western improved to 16-9 on the season and will face Northern State in the second game of the day at 2 p.m.

Game 2 – Minnesota State 3, Northern State 0

MWSU jumped on the board early in the first innings when Morgan Rathmann doubled to left field, stole third and game home on an error by the catcher. The Griffons then added to their one-run lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Tiffany Gallaspy singled to score both Rathmann and Shelbie Atwell.

The Griffons sent Shyanne Saladino to the mound as she earned her ninth victory of the season. Saladino allowed one hit, struck out four batters and pitched all seven innings.

Missouri Western is back in action Saturday as they’ll play Concordia University at 12 pm and Augustana College for game two.

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s tennis team fell 7-2 in a tough fought match against Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday afternoon. The Griffons claimed two singles matches on the day but couldn’t find another victory throughout the day.

Missouri Westerns’ two singles victories came from Sarah Giraldo and Yasmine El Ghazi in the No. 1 and No. 4 spots, respectively. Giraldo won her by scores of 6-1, 6-2 while El Ghazi tallied a 6-1, 7-5 win in her match.

Nebraska-Kearney got the early edge when they claimed all three doubles matches from the Griffons. Ceara Boldridge and Sofia Aguilera fell by the score of 9-8 (7-1) in their No. 2 doubles match.

The Griffons are back in action on Saturday at home against Fort Hays State starting at 11 a.m.

Singles competition
1. Giraldo,Sarah (MWSU) def. Weems,Kristin (UNKWOMEN) 6-1, 6-2
2. Rodriguez,Sthefani (UNKWOMEN) def. Aguilera,Sofia (MWSU) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
3. Jimenez,Paula (UNKWOMEN) def. Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) 7-5, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2
4. El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) def. Fink,Emily (UNKWOMEN) 6-1, 7-5
5. Neil,Emma (UNKWOMEN) def. Chiao,Denise (MWSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Emery,Kari (UNKWOMEN) def. Boldridge,Ceara (MWSU) 5-7, 6-3, 10-5

Doubles competition
1. Fink,Emily/Rodriguez,Sthefani (UNKWOMEN) def. Giraldo,Sarah/El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) 8-4
2. Jimenez,Paula/Weems,Kristin (UNKWOMEN) def. Boldridge,Ceara/Aguilera,Sofia (MWSU) 9-8 (7-1)
3. Neil,Emma/Emery,Kari (UNKWOMEN) def. Chiao,Denise/Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) 8-3

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.  – A solid performance from the Missouri Western bullpen and clutch hitting helped the Griffon baseball team earn a 10-5 win over Central Missouri Tuesday at the Spring Sports Complex.

With the win, Western improves to 14-7 and they’ve now won 11 of their last 13 games.  The game was a non-conference game with UCM.

Starter Jared Lloyid lasted just an inning and a third after surrendering three runs on three hits and two walks. After that, the Griffon bullpen allowed just two runs the rest of the way as the MWSU  bats came alive in the second and third.

Down 4-2 going into the bottom of the fourth, David Glaude singled to drive in Trevor LaHonta and begin a Griffon rally. With two outs in the inning, Cosimo Cannella drove in Mitch Thorman with an RBI single to center. Dylon Koch capped the rally with a two-RBI single that put MWSU up 6-4.

Missouri Western tacked on one in the seventh, one in the eighth and Josh Lansangan wiggled out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth to end the game.

Koch finished 2-4 with four RBIs. Cannella was 2-4 with four driven in and a run scored. Glaude went 2-3 on the day with two RBIs and two runs scored and Thorman picked up two hits in five at bats with one driven in and two runs scored. Matt Russell picked up the win in relief, going two and two thirds and allowing two runs on two hits.

Missouri Western travels to Topeka, Kansas this weekend to take on Washburn in a four-game series.

— MWSU Sports Information —

EMPORIA, Kan. – The Missouri Western softball team moved to 13-9 on the season, scoring 18 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Southeastern Oklahoma State in game played at Emporia State University.

GAME 1: MWSU 10, SEO 6

The Griffons got 10 runs on 10 hits, taking a 7-1 lead after three innings. Southeastern State added five in the sixth to close the gap but MWSU answered with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning to build a four-run lead.

Janie Smith went the distance, pitching seven innings and allowing six runs. Smith struck out two and walked one, wiggling herself out of a few jams after giving up 11 hits. Paige Shifflett homered for her one hit and RBI. Tiffany Gillaspy went 3-4 with one driven in and two runs scored and Shelbie Atwell went 2-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

GAME 2: MWSU 8, SEO 5

The Griffons scored their first six runs via home runs, getting a three-run homer from Shifflett in the first and a solo shot from Katie Klosterman in the first. In the second, Morgan Rathmann and Gillaspy hit back-to-back solo home runs to put MWSU up 6-1.

Southeastern Oklahoma added three in the bottom of the second and one in the third to tighten the gap, 6-5 and chase Shyanne Saladino from the game. Taylor Schaben entered in relief and got the Griffons out of a jam, completing the next five innings and allowing just three hits.

Rathmann went 3-4 in game two, driving in two and scoring two. Gillaspy was 3-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Shifflett finished with three RBIs on her one hit.

Missouri Western returns to action Tuesday when they host Northwest Missouri State in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.  The games will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM and here on StJosephPost.com.

— MWSU Sports Information —

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team wrapped up a four-game series at Pittsburg State by splitting a doubleheader in two extra-inning games Sunday. The two teams battled back and forth in all four games, each winning two. The Griffons return to St. Joseph, 13-7 overall and 9-3 in the MIAA.

GAME 1: MWSU 10, PSU 9 (8 innings)

Dylon Koch drove in six of the Griffons’ final seven runs in a comeback win during the first game of the doubleheader

In a seesaw battle, the Griffons trailed 8-3 going into the fifth. Koch hit a three-run home run in the fifth to make it an 8-6 Pittsburg State lead. He homered again in the seventh, this time a two-run shot that tied the game at eight. In the eighth, Andy Rieth hit a sacrifice fly that put MWSU up 9-8 and Koch drew a bases loaded walk that pushed the 10th run home. The Gorillas threatened to prolong, or win the game in the bottom of the eighth but bullpen specialist, Richard Peoples wiggled out of the jam, allowing one run, and picking up his fourth win of the year (4-0), all in relief.

The Griffons led 1-0 after one inning on Cody Childs’ solo home run in the first but Pitt took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the second. MWSU jumped back in front in the third, getting and RBI double from David Glaude and an RBI single from Cosimo Cannella that put the Griffons on top, 3-2. The Gorillas answered with three in the bottom of the third to jump ahead, 6-3, and made it a five run lead in the fourth.

Koch finished 2-3 with six RBIs and two runs scored. Childs was 2-4 with one batted in and three runs scored. Mitch Thorman was 2-4 with two runs scored. Peoples went the final two innings, allowing one run and one hit. A.J. Martinez got the start and went two and two thirds, allowing five runs on seven hits.

GAME 2: PSU 8, MWSU 5 (8 innings)

Peoples suffered his first loss of the season, allowing a one-out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth that gave the Gorillas an 8-5 win and a split in the doubleheader and four-game series.

In yet another back-and-forth game, MWSU took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh with a two-RBI double by Childs but PSU tied it in the bottom half of the inning to force extras. Buzz Verduzco was ejected in the bottom of the seventh after arguing balls and strikes. David Glaude put the Griffons up 5-4 in the top of the eighth with a solo home run, his sixth of the season. Andrew Ramirez drew a walk two batters later and advanced to second on a wild pitch during a Koch strikeout. Ramirez made it to third on another wild pitch with Ryan Degner at the plate but Degner would pop up the end the half inning.

Peoples struck out the leadoff batter but then gave up two straight singles and a passed ball allowed both runners to advance. After an intentional walk, Andrew Vogelbaugh ended the game with a grand slam.

No Griffon finished with more than one hit, totaling eight in the game as a team. Banks Born went the first four innings, giving up three runs – two of them earned – on five hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.

Missouri Western will return to the Spring Sports Complex for a single game with Central Missouri on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.  Due to MIAA scheduling, the contest will be considered a non-conference game.

— MWSU Sports Information —

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team had its eight-game win streak snapped in a doubleheader split at Pittsburg State Saturday afternoon.

GAME 1: PSU 3, MWSU 1

Missouri Western’s eight-game winning streak and Pittsburg State’s seven-game losing streaks came to a halt as the Griffons were unable to bring the go-ahead runs home in the seventh of a 3-1 loss at Pitt. State.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the seventh, Mitch Thorman led off with a single up the middle followed by a single to left from Cosimo Cannella. David Glaude drove Thorman home one batter later with a single through the right side that put the tying run on first with no outs. Cody Childs executed a sacrifice bunt that put Glaude on second and Cannella at third before Andrew Ramirez drew a pinch hit walk to load the bases with one out, trailing by two. D’Andre Heggie fouled out in a pinch hit at bat for Michael Yeager and Trevor LaHonta fouled out to end the Griffon threat and the ball game.

Grant Woods took the loss (1-1) after allowing two runs on four hits in two innings of work. Ryan Degner extended his hitting streak to 11 games, going 2-3 in game one. Thorman was also 2-3.

GAME 2: MWSU 5, PSU 3

The Griffons got back to their winning ways, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in a 5-3 win in game two of the doubleheader.

Glaude got the scoring going for the Griffons with a two-out, two-RBI double to center in the first. Cody Childs followed with single through the left side that put MWSU up 3-0 after the first. MWSU added one in the fourth on Yeager’s RBI single and another in the fifth on an RBI single by Childs that gave the Griffons a 5-0 lead going to the bottom of the fifth. Pitt. State scored twice in the sixth and added another in the eighth. The Gorillas led off the bottom of the ninth with a single but Richard Peoples was able to coax the next batter into a double play. Pitt got one more single in the inning but Peoples picked up his third save of the season on a ground out to the next batter to end the game.

Glaude finished 1-3 with two driven in and a run scored in game two. Childs was 3-5 with two RBIs and a run and Yeager picked up two hits and an RBI as Degner went 0-5 and saw his 11-game hit streak end. Josh Lansangan moved to 2-2 on the year, going seven innings and allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out four.

After the split, Missouri Western is 12-6 on the year and 8-2 in the MIAA. The two teams will play another doubleheader on Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team got back to a winning record with a doubleheader sweep of Southwest Baptist in the team’s home opener.

GAME 1: MWSU 1, SBU 0

Missouri Western broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with a two-out RBI single from Katie Klosterman and scored the only run they needed in a 1-0 shutout from Janie Smith.

Smith went the distance, allowing just two SBU hits, three walks and seven strikeouts. Smith moved to 5-5 on the year. Behind Smith, the Griffon defense was flawless, committing zero errors. Offensively, the Griffons picked up six hits on Kacey Ayers but couldn’t string hits together to create many scoring threats.

Tiffany Gillaspy had two of MWSU’s hits, finishing 2-3. Sydney Washington, Kailey Green, Megan Korgie and Klosterman had the other Griffon hits.

GAME 2: MWSU 10, SBU 1 (5 innings)

The Griffons jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first and tacked on three more in the fourth on two home runs to take game two and complete the sweep, 10-1 in five innings.

Missouri Western batted around in the first with Paige Shifflett’s RBI single up the middle giving the Griffons a 1-0 lead. Morgan Rathmann capped off the inning with a three-RBI double to left center that put MWSU up 7-0. Tiffany Gillaspy put MWSU up 8-1 in the fourth with a solo home run and after Sydney Washington singled, Shifflett hit a two-run home run to left center that gave the Griffons a 10-1 lead.

Shyanne Saladino picked up the win in the circle, going all five innings and allowing three hits. Saladino moved to 6-4 on the year, while the Griffons moved to 11-9 and 4-2 in MIAA play. The Griffons will play the first two of 10 games next week when they host Southeastern Oklahoma State in Emporia, Kansas on Monday.

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s tennis team picked up its first MIAA win of the season in a 6-3 victory at Lindenwood.

MWSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead after taking all three doubles matches. Those doubles wins included the duo of Denise Chiao and Kayla Dysart battling back from a 7-1 deficit to claim their match, 9-8. Dysart joined Ceara Boldridge and Meara Smith as winners in singles action. Dysart won 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot, while Boldridge won 6-3, 6-0 at No. 5 and Smith won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6.

The Griffons are 4-2 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play, having already matched last season’s MIAA win total and surpassed their overall win total from a season ago. The Griffons will return home for three in a row, beginning with a match against Nebraska-Kearney on Mar. 19 at 2 p.m.

RESULTS
Doubles
1. El Ghazi/Giraldo (MWSU) def. Marras/Picamiglio 8-5
2. Boldridge/Aguilera (MWSU) def. Ivanova/Pinol 8-5
3. Chiao/Dysart (MWSU) def. Castro/Medvedeva 9-8 (7-1)

Singles
1. Gloia Marras (LWU) def. Sarah Giraldo 6-1, 6-4
2. Clara Picamiglio (LWU) def. Sofia Aguilera 1-6, 6-1, (11-9)
3. Kayla Dysart (MWSU) def. Daria Ivanova 6-2, 6-1
4. Mariana Pinol (LWU) def. Yasmine El Ghazi 2-6, 6-4 (10-5)
5. Ceara Boldridge (MWSU) def. Diana Castro 6-3, 6-0
6. Meara Smith (MWSU) def. Savannah Martin 6-1, 6-1

— MWSU Sports Information —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team extended its winning streak to eight games with a 7-4 victory over Quincy University Wednesday at the Spring Sports Complex.

The Griffons jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two inning but three unanswered runs from the Hawks tightened things up going into the fifth inning. A.J. Martinez entered in relief of starter Matt Russell in the fifth and held Quincy scoreless through the next four innings to pick up his third win of the year.

Missouri Western hit four triples in the game, including a leadoff triple by Ryan Degner and matched their season run average with seven in the game. The Griffons got one run in the first and added four in the second to take an early five-run lead. They added one insurance run in the eighth to cap off the day.

Martinez went five innings in relief, allowing six hits and one earned run, while striking out five and walking one. Degner was one of four Griffons with two hits on the day. The senior was 2-5 with one RBI and a run scored. Orencio Fisher went 2-4 with two driven in and a run scored. Cody Childs also went 2-4 with one RBI and a run scored.

With eight wins in a row, MWSU is now 11-5 and will travel to Pittsburg State for a four-game series beginning Friday.

— MWSU Sports Information —