HAYS, Kan. – A four-run eighth inning opened up a tight ball game and vaulted Griffon Baseball (25-21, 17-15) to a 7-1 win over Fort Hays State (13-33, 5-27) on Saturday evening.

Missouri Western led 2-1 after seven innings, but scored four in the top of the eighth. The inning included an RBI double by Dusty Stroup and a two-run home run by Ryan Smith. All four Griffon runs in the inning were unearned as Fort Hays State committed one of its six errors in the game with two out in the inning. Six of the seven Griffon runs in the game were unearned.

NOTABLES

• Brooks Day had two more hits, going 2-for-5 with a run scored. It extended Day’s hitting streak to 14 games. He’s batted .442 with six doubles, four home runs and two triples during the streak
• Stroup went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored
• Smith went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored as a reserve, entering for Nolan Meyer in the fourth
• Preston Bailey picked up his sixth save of the season, pitching 3 2/3 innings. He struck out three and gave up a pair of hits
• Levi Abrahamson (2-2) got the win, allowing one run on five hits through 5 1/3 innings. Abrahamson struck out four

UP NEXT
The Griffons go for the series sweep, Sunday, at 1 p.m. in the team’s final regular season road game.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – For the first time in 10 years, the Missouri Western men’s golf team will play in the NCAA Division II Regional. The Griffons were selected eighth in the final central region poll and will begin play in the Central/Midwest Regional May 7 in Findlay, Ohio.

The youthful Griffons were one of four MIAA teams selected to the field of 10 central region participants. Led by All-MIAA selections Patrick McCarthy and Kevin Kim, Missouri Western finished no worse than 10th in all 10 events this year. The Griffons won the Broncho Stampede Invitational to finish the championship portion of their season and tied for first at their home event, the Holiday Inn Express/Candlewood Suites MWSU Invitational in October.

The three round regional will be held at the Findlay Country Club May 7-9. At a minimum, the top three finishing teams at the regional along with the top-two individuals not on an advancing team, will qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships at the Robert Trent Golf Trail at the Shoals, Fighting Joe Course in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Griffon women’s golfer Shi Qing Ong was named MIAA Golfer of the Year as announced by the conference, Friday afternoon.

Ong was the medalist at this week’s MIAA Championships in Kansas City, claiming the individual title by seven strokes. Her MIAA win was the third individual title for the junior this season. She was also named first team All-MIAA for the third time in her career after being named MIAA Golfer of the year four times.

Joining Ong on the first team was Chong Yong. The sophomore had five top-10 finishes this season after qualifying, individually, for the NCAA Division II National Championships last season.

— MWSU Athletics —

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – No. 5-seeded Griffon Softball (25-29) was eliminated from the MIAA Championships with a 3-1 loss to No. 3-seeded Central Oklahoma (31-21), Friday at ASA Hall of Fame Complex.

Kenzie Hilzer and Kaili Hinds combined to strand 13 UCO base runners in the game, working around at least two runners in every inning to hold the Bronchos to three runs on 10 hits. The Griffon offense had a hard time moving base runners itself, leaving seven on base in the game. MWSU had five hits and walked three times.

• It was just the third time in the Jen Bagley Trotter era the Griffons finished the season under .500 and the first time since 2008 (27-28)
• The top five batters in the Griffon order went a combined 1-for-13 in the game
• Gabi Carter went 2-for-3 in the game
• Tamara Hicks went 2-for-3
• Morgan Frost drove in the only Griffon run on a single in the third
• Hilzer (14-14) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on nine hits. She walked five and struck out two

— MWSU Athletics —

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – No. 5 seed Griffon Softball (25-28) rallied to keep its season alive, coming back to eliminate No. 1-seeded Washburn 5-4 on the opening night of the MIAA Championships.

Shelby Uhl delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth to push Missouri Western past the MIAA regular season champions. Gabi Carter got on to lead off the eighth by being hit by a pitch. Kalyn Damgaard pinch ran for Carter and got to second two batters later on Markee Brown’s fielder’s choice. Uhl bounced a single into center that scored Damgaard from second to give MWSU the upset win.

Down 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the bottom of the Griffon order sparked the rally. Rebekah Mueller led off the inning with a double to left and got to third when Markee Brown singled and advanced on a throw. With runners on second and third, Tamara Hicks struck out. Shelby Uhl gave the Griffs their first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Mueller and got Brown to third. Shelbie Atwell followed with an RBI-double to left center. Morgan Frost scored Atwell with a single to left and got to second herself on the throw. Lonnie Groves drove in the tying run with a single to right.

The Griffons were limited to just an infield single through the first six innings, but totaled five hits in the seventh. Kenzie Hilzer picked up the win in relief. The honorable mention All-MIAA pitcher entered with runners on first and second and one out in the eighth. She coaxed two ground outs to end the Ichabod threat.

A 5-3 loss to No. 4 seed Northwest Missouri in the opener pushed the Griffons into the Thursday night elimination game. The win over Washburn moves the Griffons into another elimination game Friday at 11 a.m. against No. 3 seed Central Oklahoma

— MWSU Athletics —

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Shelby Uhl was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and was one of four Griffons named All-MIAA as announced, Thursday.

Uhl was named to the second team as an outfielder, but became the second-straight Griffon to be named defensive player of the year after Katie Klosterman took the honor last season. Uhl entered the MIAA Championships as the only player in the MIAA with nine or more home runs (9), 40 or more RBI (42) and 20 or more stolen bases (20). The junior led MWSU in the regular season with a .351 batting average. She also led the team in RBI, hits, home runs, slugging percentage and stolen bases. In the outfield, Uhl started all 51 games, committing just one error all season. He also had six assists from her position in center. The Pleasant Hill, Iowa native was an honorable mention selection last season.

Shelbie Atwell became a three-time All-MIAA selection with her honorable mention this season. Atwell was among the MIAA leaders with 29 walks and her .447 on base percentage. The senior started all 51 games, splitting time between shortstop and first base. The Columbia, Missouri native’s 55 hits were tied for second on the team. She added 10 doubles which was also second on the team and 26 RBI.

Rebekah Mueller was named honorable mention, her first-ever All-MIAA honor. The senior catcher batted .279 with a career-high six home runs. Mueller’s 23 RBIs were also a career-high. She started all 51 games behind the plate this season, committing just three errors all year.

Kenzie Hilzer was an honorable mention selection as a pitcher. The sophomore turned her season around, finishing the regular season 13-12 with a 4.27 ERA. Hilzer started 29 games and made 32 appearances in the circle. In 172 innings, she allowed 213 hits and struck out 84 batters. Hilzer pitched two complete games.

— MWSU Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri rallied to defeat Griffon Baseball 8-7 on Wednesday.

Missouri Western led 7-4 headed to the bottom of the sixth. The Bearcats got two in the bottom half of that inning and added two more in the seventh to sweep the season series. Casey Danley led off the top of the ninth with a double and got to third with one out on a Brooks Day sacrifice Bunt. The Griffons couldn’t get Danley in with Dusty Stroup and Levi Schreiner both striking out to end the game.

NOTABLES

• Missouri Western had 11 hits in the game
• Danley went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. He hit a two-run home run in the fourth that capped a five-run inning for MWSU
• Fahd Shakeel went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and a triple. Shakeel also scored twice and had an RBI
• Day was 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple
• Maurice Bruce went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI
• Kellan Richards took the loss, giving up two unearned runs and a hit in 1/3 inning of relief

UP NEXT
The Griffons end a run of eight-straight games on the road with a three-game series at Fort Hays State. The series begins Fridaywith first pitch of game one coming at 7 p.m. in Hays, Kansas.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Shi Qing Ong claimed the MIAA Women’s Golf individual title, shooting even-par Wednesday at Swope Memorial Golf Course.

Ong finished the three-rounds of the MIAA Championships with a 10-over 226 to win the individual medal by seven strokes. The Griffons took fourth as a team with a team 964. Tiffanie Yabut turned in 79s on Tuesday and Wednesday to finish tied for sixth with a 239.

Chong Yong carded a 245 for a 13th place tie. Jenna Kosmatka shot a 255 and Katie Irvin finished with a 263.

Northeastern State took the team title with Lindenwood in second and Central Oklahoma third.

The Griffons now await word on whether or not they will play on in NCAA regional play. Missouri Western was ninth in the first regional rankings with the top-13 teams advancing to the Central Super Regional, May 7-9.

— MWSU Athletics —

SPRING HILL, Kan. – Griffon men’s golf moved up one more spot on the final day of play at the MIAA Championships to finish seventh with an 891.

Kevin Kim shot even-par on Wednesday’s final round to finish with a 219 over three rounds and tied for sixth as the highest Griffon finisher. Kim improved nine positions from Tuesday to Wednesday. Patrick McCarthy finished in a tie for 17th with a 2-over on Wednesday. The sophomore finished with a 221 after shooting 3-under on Tuesday.

Tom Buffington shot 3-over on Wednesday and finished with a 226. Lucas Horseman also ended the tournament with a 226 after shooting 2-over on Wednesday’s final round. Cole Roberts shot 7-over Wednesday to finish with a 232.

Missouri Western finished just one stroke behind sixth place Fort Hays State. Lindenwood claimed the team title with an 866 and the top two individual finishers.

The Griffons were seventh in the first central regional ranking and will now await their postseason fate. NCAA regional play begins May 7 at Findlay Country Club in Findlay, Ohio.

— MWSU Athletics —