ST. JOSEPH – It took five extra minutes of basketball, but Missouri Western (10-12, 4-7 MIAA) picked up one of its best wins of the season on Saturday, outlasting Pittsburg State (14-7, 7-5 MIAA) for a 95-87 overtime win.

NOTABLES

• Neither team could pull away in a back-and-forth first 11 minutes that featured seven lead changes.
• Alex Martin’s put-back dunk sparked a 24-9 run that gave the Griffons their largest lead of the game at 14 points with 1:28 to play in the first half.
• The Griffons held a 43-35 lead going into the intermission, limiting one of the top offenses in the MIAA to just 39 percent shooting.
• Lavon Hightower had 16 points in the first half.
• Tyrell Carroll knocked down a pair of free throws to extend the Missouri Western lead to six points with 2:17 remaining in the second half.
• Tyus Millhollin’s three point attempt was no good on the Griffons’ final possession of regulation, giving the Gorillas the final possession with 23 seconds remaining.
• Grant Lozoya, the MIAA’s leading scorer, missed the potential game-winner before the Gorillas’ tip-in layup rattled out, sending the game into overtime.
• With 1:38 remaining in overtime, Hightower found Millhollin in the left corner for a game-sealing three.
• The Griffons shot 11-of-14 from the free-line in overtime.
• The 95 points scored by the Griffons is the programs’ most since a 97-57 win over Baptist Bible College on Dec. 14, 2014.
• Saturday’s win gives Missouri Western its first MIAA home win.

LEADERS

• Hightower set a new career-high with 33 points. His team-high 11 rebounds also gives Hightower his seventh double-double of the season.
• Bryan Hudson scored 21 points, marking the ninth time in the last 10 games he has scored double-figures.
• Millhollin and Carroll each added 14 points.
• Lozoya finished with a game-high 35 points for Pittsburg State.

UP NEXT

• The Griffons will travel to Lincoln (15-5, 8-3 MIAA) on Feb. 7.
• Lincoln topped the Griffons 79-68 in the teams’ first meeting on Dec. 8.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Women’s Basketball (10-10, 5-6 MIAA) went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the MIAA in Pittsburg State (17-4, 9-3 MIAA) on Saturday. The Griffons led for nearly half of the game, but fell 79-68 at home.

NOTABLES

• The Griffons had one of their best offensive starts of the season on Saturday. The Griffons outscored Pitt State 23-16 in the first quarter, shooting 50 percent from the field.
• The second quarter was much of the same offensively for the Griffons, as the team added 21 more points to take a 44-41 lead into halftime.
• Katrina Roenfeldt led all players in scoring with 13 points at the half.
• The Gorillas took their first lead of the game two minutes into the third quarter.
• Pitt State outscored the Griffons 13-2 to open up the second half, holding the Griffons without a field goal for the first 3:47 of the half.
• KeShara Scott pulled the Griffons within one possession at 57-55 near the end of the third.
• The Gorillas outscored the Griffons 19-12 to pull away in the final quarter.
• Missouri Western scored 24 points in the second half compared to 44 in the first half.
• The Griffons shot an efficient 7-for-17 from three in the loss.

LEADERS

• Roenfeldt led all players with 20 points. It was her seventh game of the season with at least 20 points.
• Melia Richardson was the team’s second-leading scorer with 14 points.
• Brittany Atkins added nine points with a team-high four assists.

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western Women’s Basketball will travel to Lincoln (9-11, 1-10 MIAA) for its next game.
• The Griffons topped the Blue Tigers 62-61 at home in the teams’ first meeting when Melia Richardson sank the game-winner in the final seconds.

— MWSU Athletics —

SHAWNEE, Okla. – Griffon Baseball split a doubleheader, Saturday, at Oklahoma Baptist to go 1-2 in the season-opening series. Missouri Western dropped the first game of the twin bill before winning the finale 4-2.

GAME 1
Oklahoma Baptist 13, Missouri Western 7

• The Griffons led 7-4 after Casey Danley’s two-run home run in the seventh
• OBU answered with a seven-run seventh inning and added two more runs in the eighth
• Starting pitcher Anthony Castaneda struck out 14 batters in six innings of work allowing one walk and four hits. He allowed the first four runs, three earned.
• Conrad McMahon went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. One of his four hits was a solo home run in the fifth.
• Fahd Shakeel went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a stone base
• The Griffon bullpen allowed the final nine OBU runs, five of them earned
• Thomas Ruwe took the loss in relief

GAME 2
Missouri Western 4, Oklahoma Baptist 2

• Danley hit his second two-run homer of the day in the first to put the Griffs up 2-0
• The Griffons got another solid starting pitching performance, this time from Jacob Purl. The transfer from Oklahoma State struck out seven and allowed two runs on two hits through 4 2/3 to earn the win in the seven inning game
• Roy Robles picked up a save, going the final two innings
• Four Griffons had one hit each
• Shakeel added another hit in game two and finished the opening weekend batting .417 with a double, a triple and three RBIs

SERIES STATS

• McMahon began his Griffon career by batting .357 over three games with five runs scored
• Danley drove in five runs on the weekend
• Griffon pitchers struck out 39 batters over 23 innings, including 28 Ks from the three starters though 15 2/3 innings

UP NEXT

• MWSU plays in the Henderson State Invitational in Arkadelphia, Arkansas next weekend
• The Griffons are set to play four teams in two days starting with the co-hosts, Ouachita State and Henderson State on Friday, Feb. 8.

— MWSU Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – It was the Griffon Men’s Track & Field team’s turn, Saturday, at the Mule Relays. The team was impressive, turning in 18 top-10 finishes and one event win.

Hunter Scaggs won the high jump, his second win so far in his freshman season, and his fifth top-10 in as many attempts. DeShon Outley improved upon his school record in the 60m with a 6.97 that was good for a third place finish.

TOP FINISHERS

• Hunter Scaggs, 1st, High Jump, 1.95m (6′ 4.75″)
• Dre’Shaun Sanders, 2nd, 400m, 50.64
• Derek Dixon, 2nd, 600yd, 1:17.17
• Riley Gorham, 2nd, 800m, 1:59.93
• 4x400m Relay (Derek Dixon, Riley Gorham, Nate Jelinek, Brandon Colner), 2nd, 3:33.38
• DeShon Outley, 3rd, 60m, 6.97
• Nate Jelinek, 4th, 800m, 2:02.41
• Jordan Garr, 4th, Shot Put, 15.53m (50′ 11.5″)
• Dallas Thompson, 4th, Weight Throw, 15.32m (50′ 3.25″)
• Jacob Oyler, 5th, 3,000m, 9:24.33
• Sijin Hansen, 5th, High Jump, 1.85m (6′ 3/4″)
• Chris Stanley, 6th, 800m, 2:03.13
• Brandon Colner, 7th, 800m, 2:04.96
• Hayden Belgrave, 7th, 600yd, 1:18.06
• Andrew Wright, 7th, 3,000m, 9:30.16
• Dallas Thompson, 7th, Shot Put, 13.78m (45′ 2.5″)
• Logan Cutler, 10th, 1,000m, 2:51.03
• Jordan Garr, 10th, Weight Throw, 13.22m (43′ 4.5″)

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western goes to Maryville, Missouri for the Bearcat Invite on Feb. 8^th and 9^th

— MWSU Athletics —

SHAWNEE, Okla. – A tight game through the middle innings turned into a 7-3 win for Oklahoma Baptist over Missouri Western baseball in both teams’ first game of the season Friday.

Oklahoma Baptist led 3-0 after two innings, but Missouri Western pulled within two with a run in the third. The game stayed at 3-1 until the Bison pushed four across the plate in the seventh to open the lead up.

NOTABLES

• Andrew Curry scored the first run of the season for MWSU on a Michael Miller sacrifice fly to center
• Missouri Western had the go-ahead run at the plate with two runners in scoring position and one out in the fifth, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat
• Fahd Shakeel tripled, drove in a run and scored a run
• Casey Danley and Michael Miller collected the other Griffon RBIs
• Shakeel, Danley, Dusty Stroup and Wyatt Meyer each had one hit
• Andrew Curry walked twice and scored a run in his first game back since missing all but one game of the 2018 season with an injury
• Jacob Miller got the start and struck out seven, but took the loss allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and walking five
• Thomas Ruwe struck out two of the three batters he faced in one inning of relief in his Griffon debut
• The two teams combined for 25 strikeouts in the game, 13 for Oklahoma Baptist
• Oklahoma Baptist’s first two runs were unearned and the third came with two out in the second
• Missouri Western had four hits and left seven on base

UP NEXT

• Games two and three of the series on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma
• Game two is scheduled for a nine-inning game beginning at 1 p.m. The seven-inning series finale will follow.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Missouri Western softball team went 1-1 on the opening day of the 2019 season, splitting a doubleheader with Minnesota State at the Kelly Laas Memorial Invitational inside the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

The Griffons took advantage of some Minnesota State miscues and used a little small ball to claim a 5-2 victory in game one. Game two saw more errors hurting both teams. Down 9-2 after 5 innings, the Griffons scored four runs late to drop game two 9-6.

NOTABLES

• The split left 18^th-year head coach Jen Bagley Trotter with 599 career victories and brought her within 16 wins of becoming the winningest softball coach in MIAA history
• Down 9-3 entering the bottom of the seventh in game two, the Griffons scored two and had the tying run at the tying run on deck with one out
• The Griffs got their third run of the seventh in game two home with two outs. The game ended with the tying run on deck on a line out to center with a runner on second.
• Through both games, the teams combined for 13 errors, six committed by Missouri Western
• The Griffons scored 11 runs on the day off of 12 hits. Minnesota State scored its 11 runs on 19 hits.
• Neither team needed to rely on the long ball with Missouri Western slugging .309 on the day with two doubles and one home run and Minnesota State slugging .361 with three doubles and no home runs
• Missouri Western employed all four pitchers from its deep staff

LEADERS

• Freshman Sydni Hawkins went 4-for-7 at the plate with three runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base
• Another freshman, Taylor Hoelscher, added two hits
• Emma Hoffart had a pair of hits and drove in two runs
• Gabi Carter walked three times and ended the day with two RBIs
• Cassidy Kelsheimer hit the first home run of the season for MWSU with a leadoff solo shot in the fifth of game two
• Olivia Goodale got the win in game one in relief of Kenzie Hilzer. Goodale shut out Minnesota State over 3 1/3, allowing two hits
• Hilzer gave up one earned run, two total runs, through 3 2/3 in game one

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western stays in St. Cloud for two more games on Saturday
• The Griffons take on Concordia-St. Paul at 9 a.m. and the host team, St. Cloud State at 1:30 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Missouri Western Women’s Track and Field team completed the Indoor Mule Relays at Central Missouri on Friday. Several Griffons finished in the top five in the team’s fifth meet of the indoor season.

Hanna Williams was the top finisher for the Griffons, taking first place in the women’s 400M. Her time of 57.75 gave Williams her 10^th win of her young career at Missouri Western, with seven of those wins in the 400M.

Savannah Simmons placed second, breaking the school record in the Women’s 60M with a provisional qualifying time of 7.64 in the finals.

TOP FINISHERS

• Hanna Williams, 1^st, Women’s 400M, 57.75
• Savannah Simmons, 2^nd, Women’s 60M, 7.64 (Provisional)
• Julia Odir, 2^nd, Women’s Triple Jump, 11.37M (37′ 3.75″)
• Women’s 4x400M Relay, Morgan Doyle, Alison Nutt, Madison Roumph, Paige Kvale, 2^nd, 4:15.55
• Bayley Gilbert, 3^rd, Women’s Triple Jump, 11.27M, (36′ 11.75″)
• Chaniya Alioth, 3^rd, Women’s 200M, 27.01
• Bayley Gilbert, 3^rd, Women’s Pentathlon Long Jump, 5.30M (17′ 4.75″)
• Bayley Gilbert, 4^th, Women’s Pentathlon, 3145
• Symonne Holland, 4^th, Women’s 400M, 1:01.09
• Tara Bergman, 4^th, Women’s Shot Put, 11.94M (39′ 2.25″)
• Julia Odir, 5^th, Women’s Long Jump, 5.09M (16′ 8.5″)
• Taylor Robinson, 5^th, Women’s 600 yard, 1:33.07
• Simone Baldeh, 5^th, Women’s Weight Throw, 14.92M (48′ 11.5″)
• Kallin Sheppard, 5^th, Women’s Shot Put, 11.63M (38′ 2.0″)

SCHOOL RECORDS

• Savannah Simmons, 2nd, Women’s 60M, 7.64
• Simone Baldeh, Women’s Weight Throw, 14.92M (48′ 11.5″)
• Bayley Gilbert, Women’s Pentathlon, 3145

UP NEXT

• The Griffon Men will compete on Saturday, Feb. 1.
• Both teams will be back competing at the Bearcat Invite in Maryville on Feb. 8.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Tennis (2-2) wrapped up the first day of the Stoney Creek Hotel Tennis Classic with a 4-0 sweep of Truman State (1-3) on Friday night.

The Griffons made quick work of the Bulldogs in doubles play. Karolina Ström and Joanna Abreu Roman picked up their second doubles victory of the day in a 6-3 win. Doubles pairs Bojana Vuksan/Ciarra Gilmore and Erica Dunn/Mireia Birosta each allowed just one point in convincing 6-1 victories.

Abreu Roman continued momentum for the Griffons in the singles with a 6-0, 6-2 win. Ström picked up her first singles victory of the spring season as well. Mireia Birosta wrapped up the sweep in a 6-2, 6-1 win.

Ciarra Gilmore was also playing well for the Griffons in singles, but her match was counted as unfinished due to the Griffons’ sweep.

The Griffons kicked off the 2019 spring season on Friday morning in a 4-0 loss to Newman in the first match of the Stoney Creek Hotel Tennis Classic.

The Griffons’ doubles duo of Ström and Abreu Roman began their season with a dominating 6-1 win. Newman claimed the other two doubles matches, with the teams of Vuksan/Gilmore and Dunn/Birosta both falling 6-3.

Newman swept the first three singles on the match to earn the 4-0 sweep. Ström finished with an unfinished match, but was in control throughout. Ström won the first set 6-1 and was ahead 5-2 before the Jets’ win stopped play. Abreu Roman lost the first set of her singles match, but was ahead 3-0 in the second set at the stoppage.

MWSU VS. TSU
SINGLES
Karolina Ström (MWSU) def. Maura Dunn (TSU) 6-0, 6-1
Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) def. Alex Rogers (TSU) 6-0, 6-2
Mireia Birosta (MWSU) def. Morgan Eby (TSU) 6-2, 6-1

Daniela Alvarado Maldonado (MWSU) vs. Kayla Peterson (TSU) 4-6, 6-2, unfinished
Ciarra Gilmore (MWSU) vs. Finessa Rassel (TSU) 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
Erica Dunn (MWSU) vs. Emily Kickham (TSU) 1-0, unfinished

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Dunn/Rogers (TSU) 6-3
Birosta/Dunn (MWSU) def. Eby/Kickham (TSU) 6-1
Gilmore/Vuksan (MWSU) def. Peterson/Rassel (TSU) 6-1

MWSU VS. NU
SINGLES
Emily Young (NU) def. Mireia Birosta (MWSU) 6-1, 6-3
Isabela Bifano (NU) def. Daniela Alvarado Maldonado (MWSU) 6-1, 6-1
Mariana Gaviria (NU) def. Ciarra Gilmore (MWSU) 6-3, 6-1

Karolina Ström (MWSU) vs. Vlada Litvinova (NU) 6-1, 5-2, unfinished
Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) vs. Liza Gerasimova (NU) 5-7, 3-0, unfinished
Erica Dunn (MWSU) vs. Mirella Calvalcanti (NU) 0-2, unfinished

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Gerasimova/Litvinova (NU) 6-1
Young/Bilfano (NU) def. Birosta/Dunn (MWSU) 6-3
Calvacanti/Wise (NU) def. Gilmore/Vuksan (MWSU) 6-3

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team lost at home to Missouri Southern Thursday night 84-73.  The Griffons fall to 9-12 and 3-7 in the MIAA, while Southern improves to 17-4 and 8-3 in league play.

NOTABLES

• Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, as both shot under 35 percent from the field.
• Lavon Hightower paced the Griffons in the first half with 11 points and three made three pointers.
• Tyrell Carroll’s layup brought the Griffons within one point at 57-56 with 9:23 remaining in the second half.
• After the Lions stretched their lead, Sam Siganos drilled a three from the corner to cut the deficit to one with under seven minutes to play.
• The Lions held the Griffons to just four made field goals over the last five minutes.
• Missouri Southern’s biggest advantage came in getting to the free-throw line. The Lions shot 30 free throws compared to the Griffons’ seven.
• Neither team led by double digits until the Lions went up 10 points with 31 seconds left in the game.
• Both teams took care of the ball on offense, combining for just 15 turnovers.
• The Griffons’ shot 38 three pointers on Thursday, their second-highest total this season.

LEADERS

• Hightower led the Griffons in scoring with 20 points.
• Bryan Hudson added 16 points with a team-high nine rebounds.
• Tyrell Carroll led all players with five assists to go along with his 12 points.
• Missouri Southern’s Cam Martin finished with a game high 32 points with 14 made free throws.

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western will host Pittsburg State (14-6, 7-4 MIAA) on Saturday, Feb. 2.
• The Gorillas lost by 28 points to No. 2 Northwest Missouri on Thursday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back in a 69-57 win over Missouri Southern (11-10, 3-8) Thursday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The win was the Griffons’ (10-9, 5-5) sixth in their last seven games at home and third-straight home victory.

NOTABLES

• Missouri Western shot 44 percent from the field on the night, its best shooting percentage in four games
• The Griffons forced 24 Missouri Southern turnovers and led by as many as 15 points
• A 10-0 Missouri Southern run cut the Griffons’ lead to 50-48 early in the fourth quarter, but it was the closest the Lions got all night
• The Griffons took a 37-29 lead to the break after shooting 50 percent in the first half
• After shooting just two free throws in the first half, MWSU made 16 of its 22 attempts in the second half
• The win and some other results around the MIAA Thursday night left the Griffons tied for seventh with Nebraska-Kearney

LEADERS

• Katrina Roenfeldt fell two points short of a career high, scoring a game-high 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting. Roenfeldt also tied for a team-high eight rebounds with Jessica Davies
• Simone Walker took advantage of a spot in the starting lineup, scoring a career-high 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting with four rebounds and three blocks
• Brittany Atkins had a team-high three assists to go with her 13 points

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western stays home to host Pittsburg State (16-4, 8-3) on Saturday, Feb. 2
• The Gorillas won 69-48 at Northwest Missouri on Thursday.

— MWSU Athletics —