ST. JOSEPH – A run-rule one-hitter and a walk-off home run from a freshman pushed Griffon Softball’s (26-14, 13-5) win streak to eight games with Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of Southwest Baptist (5-30, 2-8).

Missouri Western starter Kenzie Hilzer was one out away from a five-inning no-hitter in game one, but SBU got its lone hit of the game with two out in the fifth of an 8-0 Griffon win. In game two, MWSU saw a three run lead turn into a one run deficit only to have Sydni Hawkins end the drama with a two-run walk-off home run to center in a 5-4 victory.

HILZER JUST MISSES NO-NO
Hilzer struck out four batters through five innings, allowing just the one hit to earn the junior a third-straight positive decision. She now has two wins and a save in her last three appearances, allowing just one run on six hits over her last 12 innings with 11 strikeouts and only three walks.

HAWKINS WALKS IT OFF
An error by the Griffons with two outs in the top of the sixth turned into SBU’s first run of the day and a misplayed bloop to the outfield and another error with two outs in the seventh led to Southwest Baptist taking a 4-3 lead after 6 .

Gabi Carter led off the bottom of the seventh with a single up the middle and with one out, Hawkins ended the game with a no-doubter to center. The freshman extended her hitting streak to 11 games, a stretch that has seen her batting average increase 29 points to .356.

BLANTON STAYS HOT
With three hits in the series, Brea Blanton had nine hits in her last five games, batting .529 in that stretch. The freshman now leads the team with a .417 batting average and is tied with Emma Hoffart with a team-high six RBIs.

STREAK AND STANDINGS
The eight-game win streak is the longest for the team since rattling off nine-straight early in the 2017 season. After Tuesday, the Griffons were still in fourth place, but two Central Missouri losses at Pittsburg State vaulted Washburn into second in the MIAA standings, just two games ahead of Missouri Western.

OTHER NOTABLES

• Morgan Frost went 4-for-7 on the day with another double to extend her season total to 15, second most in the MIAA
• Taylor Hoelscher went 4-for-5 and now has eight hits in her last six games
• Cassidy Kelsheimer had three hits on the day to break out of a 3-for-28 stretch
• Kaili Hinds got the win in game two to improve to 11-3 on the season. She allowed four runs, but just two were earned and she struck out eight with one walk.
• MWSU improved to 10-3 at home this season and eclipsed last year’s win total of 25
• The Griffons have won 13 of their last 15 games, outscoring their opponents by 42 runs over that span

UP NEXT
The Griffons travel to Missouri Southern (Friday) and Pittsburg State (Saturday) this weekend for two doubleheaders before getting a week off. MWSU wraps up the regular season on April 26 (Washburn) and 27 (Emporia State) at home.

— MWSU Athletics —

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri Western women’s golf team played the second and final round of the Central Region Spring Preview on Tuesday, finishing tied for 10th with a total score of 648. Chong Yong led the Griffons at the event, as she tied for ninth with a two-round score of 152 (+8)

Missouri Western places tied for tenth after entering Tuesday in 13th place. The Griffons improved their second-round score by 10 strokes, scoring a 319 in the second round. The Griffons also placed ahead of three MIAA schools, while tying Central Missouri for tenth. Dallas Baptist won the event with a team score of 589.

Chong Yong took ninth place at the Central Region Spring Preview after finishing the first round tied for 31st. After her 79 (+7) on Monday, Yong improved by six strokes with her 73 (+1) second-round performance. Her ninth-place finish also marks her second top-10 finish of the spring, and her two-round total of 152 is her best score this spring.

Also improving in Tuesday’s final round was Anna Bech. Bech shot a 79 (+7) in the second round, shaving six strokes off of her score of 85 (+13) in the first. Her total score of 164 tied her for 49th.

Jenna Kosmatka was the next Griffon on the leaderboards, shooting an 84 (+12) in the second round to bring her total to 166.

Katie Irvin scored a 170 for the Griffons while Sabrina Galfano improved her first-round score by seven strokes to finish with a total score of 173.

Next up for Missouri Western Women’s Golf is the MIAA Championship, which will begin April 23 at Firekeeper Golf Course in Mayetta, Kansas.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – With cooler temperatures expected this weekend, Griffon Baseball has adjusted first pitch times for the first two games of its upcoming weekend series against Northwest Missouri.

Rather than games one and two coming under the lights, both games have been moved up to afternoon games. Friday’s game one first pitch will come at 3 p.m., with game two’s start time moved up to 4 p.m. The finale on Sunday will remain at 1 p.m.

In celebration of Buzz Verduzco’s 20th season as the Griffon skipper, his first MWSU team (2000) will return for a reunion this weekend and will be recognized during Saturday’s game.

The Griffons are 14-15 overall and 11-10 in MIAA play. Northwest has won six-straight and sits at 17-15 overall and 13-8 in conference with a game against Pittsburg State scheduled Tuesday in Kansas City, Kansas.

— MWSU Athletics —

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri Western Women’s Golf teed off play at the Central Region Spring Preview in Springfield on Monday. The tournament is the team’s final competition before the MIAA Championship. Missouri Western ended the first round at the Rivercut Golf Course in 13th place with a score of 329.

The Griffons finish the first round with an opportunity to move up the leaderboard on Tuesday, as the team sits just seven strokes from sliding into the top-10. Dallas Baptist leads the field of 20 teams after its 296 in the first round. Missouri Western is one of seven MIAA schools at the event and has the fourth-best score of those teams.

Chong Yong was the number one in the Missouri Western lineup in Shi Qing Ong’s absence. She was the Griffons’ top performer in Springfield on Monday, finishing with a 79 (+7) to put her tied for 31st.

Jenna Kosmatka scored an 82 (+10) as the Griffon’s second-best score. One stroke behind Kosmatka was Katie Irvin, who shot an 83 (+11).

Anna Bech ended the first round with a score of 85 (+13) and Sabrina Galfano scored a 90 (+18) for the Griffons.

Missouri Western will begin the second round of the Central Region Spring Preview on Tuesday morning.

— MWSU Athletics —

KEARNEY, Neb. – With its third-straight doubleheader sweep, the Missouri Western softball team stretched its win streak to six games and leapfrogged several teams in the MIAA standings into fourth place.

The Griffons (24-14, 11-5) won 6-2 and 6-4 at Nebraska-Kearney (12-18, 8-8), Sunday, coming back with a pair of productive middle innings in game one and jumping out and holding on in game two.

The six-game win streak is the longest for the program since winning seven straight in 2018.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 6, Nebraska-Kearney 2

• Two UNK runs in the bottom of the third put MWSU down 3-1, but not for long as Taylor Hoelscher’s second and third RBIs of the game tied the Griffons and Lopers at three after four innings
• Sydni Hawkins gave the Griffs the lead for good with a two-RBI single in the fifth
• Cassidy Kelsheimer added to the lead with an RBI-single to left in the fifth
• Kaili Hinds got the win and moved to 10-3 on the season, allowing two runs on three hits through four innings
• Olivia Goodale gave the Griffs another good relief outing, picking up her fourth save of the season by keeping UNK off the scoreboard on three hits through three innings
• Brea Blanton, Hawkins, Kelsheimer and Hoelscher had three hits apiece

GAME 2
Missouri Western 6, Nebraska-Kearney 4

• Emma Hoffart made it 3-0 Griffons in the first with a home run to right
• Hawkins drove in two with a double to right center in the third that made it 5-1 MWSU, but UNK wasn’t done
• The Lopers scored one in the third and two in the fifth to pull within one
• MWSU loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, but just got one run in on a Morgan Frost walk before two ground outs ended the inning and preserved a two-run deficit for the home team
• Kenzie Hilzer slammed the door on any hopes of a rally, retiring all six batters she faced in two innings of relief work that gave the junior back-to-back stellar relief outings
• Blanton and Hawkins added two more hits each in game two
• Hoffart was 2-for-4 with three RBIs

UP NEXT

• The Griffons host Southwest Baptist (5-28, 2-6) on Tuesday in a re-scheduled series from earlier this season
• Then MWSU travels to Missouri Southern (17-18, 8-10) on Friday and Pittsburg State (18-21, 6-8) on Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – After winning the first two matches in a three-match home stretch, Missouri Western (10-11, 1-6 MIAA) suffered a 5-2 defeat to Southwest Baptist (9-5, 5-2 MIAA) on Sunday. The Griffons held a 1-0 advantage heading into singles, but the Bearcats took five of the six singles matches for the win.

The teams split the first two doubles matches to begin the conference dual. Bojana Vuksan and Federica Salmaso dominated in a 6-0 shutout victory before Mireia Birosta and Ciarra Gilmore lost their matchup by the same score. Joanna Abreu Roman and Karolina Ström won the final match in the doubles, edging their opponents in a 7-5 win to give the Griffons the doubles advantage.

Missouri Western managed one win in the singles. Erica Dunn gave the Griffons their second point of the day with her 6-1, 6-1 win. Dunn also brings her singles record this season to above .500 after her third win of the season on Sunday.

Abreu Roman was the only other Griffon to nearly take a set in singles. The senior lost in a competitive 7-6 first set before dropping the second set of the match.

Missouri Western will travel to Nebraska Kearney (13-11, 2-5 MIAA) on April 12 for its next dual.

MWSU VS. SBU
SINGLES
Jill Van Den Dungen (SBU) def. Karolina Ström (MWSU) 6-3, 6-2
Constanca Crespo (SBU) def. Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) 7-6, 6-1
Klara Vickov (SBU) def. Mireia Birosta (MWSU) 6-3, 6-1
Diana Cabrera (SBU) def. Federica Salmaso (MWSU) 6-2, 6-0
Sarah Brown (SBU) def. Bojana Vuksan (MWSU) 6-1, 6-3
Erica Dunn (MWSU) def. Emma Davis (SBU) 6-1, 6-1

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Van Den Dungen/Vickov (SBU) 7-5
Cabrera/Crespo (SBU) def. Birosta/Gilmore (MWSU) 6-0
Salmaso/Vuksan (MWSU) def. Brown/Davis (SBU) 6-0

— MWSU Athletics —

EMPORIA, Kan. – Emporia State (20-12, 14-7) did what no team has been able to do all year, get to Anthony Castaneda early in an 11-3 win over Griffon Baseball (14-15, 11-10) on Saturday.

The Griffons led 3-1 after an inning and a half, but a four-hit, five-run second inning put the Hornets up for good.

NOTABLES

• Castaneda dropped his second straight decision, allowing eight runs – six earned – on eight hits over 5 2/3. The eight runs allowed were four less than Castaneda had allowed through is first eight starts of the season.
• Dusty Stroup extended his hot streak, going 4-for-4 at the plate to give the senior 12 hits in his last four games
• The Griffons scored two runs on an error in the second to give MWSU a 3-1 lead
• ESU answered with five runs in the bottom of the second
• MWSU was charged with four errors in the game, the most for the team since Feb. 8 at Henderson State
• Emporia State took the three-game series two games to one

UP NEXT

• The Griffons return home to host Northwest Missouri State in a three game series beginning on Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —

HAYS, Kan. – Griffon Softball (22-14, 9-5) outscored Fort Hays State (14-15, 7-7) 9-1 on Saturday to earn its second consecutive MIAA series sweep.

The wins vaulted the Griffons past Fort Hays State in the MIAA standings and into fifth place pending other Saturday results.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 4, Fort Hays State 1

• Gabi Carter broke a scoreless tie with an RBI groundout in the third
• Taylor Hoelscher made it 2-0 an inning later with an RBI single
• Hoelscher put MWSU up 3-1 in the sixth with an RBI triple and Lauren Houston’s RBI single made it 4-1 Griffs in the sixth
• Kenzie Hilzer struck out seven through five innings of relief after replacing Kaili Hinds in the third
• Carter, Hoelscher and Houston had two hits each for all but one of the team’s total

GAME 2
Missouri Western 5, Fort Hays State 1

• Emma Hoffart set the tone with a two-out, two-run home run in the first
• Hoffart went 2-for-2 with three RBIs in the game, adding her third RBI on a fifth inning sacrifice fly
• Sydni Hawkins drove in two with a single in the fifth
• Lexi Kinnaird improved to 6-3 on the season, striking out seven in a complete game win
• The Griffs were able to score the five runs on seven hits despite Fort Hays State pitcher Hailey Chapman striking out 11 batters

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western plays a doubleheader at Nebraska-Kearney (12-16, 8-6) Sunday at noon.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western Men’s Golf completed the second and final round of the NSIC Regional Preview at Shoal Creek Golf Club in Kansas City. The Griffons placed seventh in the field of 18 teams with a two-round score of 601.

After entering Saturday in sixth place, the Griffons slid one slot after the final round. Although Missouri Western dropped to seventh, the team finished just seven strokes back of fourth place in a very tightly-contested team leaderboard.

Patrick McCarthy was the top finisher for Missouri Western, tying for 12th place. After a first-round score of 77 (+6), McCarthy bounced back with a 69 (-2) in the second round. McCarthy tied for the best second-round score on Saturday, bringing his two-round total to 146. McCarthy made the biggest jump on the leaderboards on the team, as he entered Saturday outside of the top-30.

Tom Buffington finished with an overall score of 149 to tie for 21st. He followed his first round of 73 (+2) with a 76 in the second.

Lucas Horseman tied for 30th after his 152 over the two rounds. His best performance came in the first round when he shot a four-over 75.

Cole Roberts finished with a score of 154 while Jett Simmons shot a 158 over the two rounds.

Missouri Western will travel to Bolivar, Missouri on April 15 for its final competition before the MIAA Championship.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Just four days after picking up a non-conference win at home, Missouri Western (10-10, 1-5 MIAA) earned its first MIAA win of the season in a 6-1 victory over Lindenwood on Saturday. The Griffons lost just one singles match after taking the doubles advantage in the win.

Karolina Ström and Joanna Abreu Roman got things rolling for Missouri Western early. The Griffons’ top doubles team cruised to a 6-1 win. The two now extend their team-high wins total to 16 this season. Daniela Alvarado Maldonado and Erica Dunn lost a competitive 7-5 contest in the day’s next match. Federica Salmaso and Bojana Vuksan won the third doubles match by default, giving the edge to the Griffons heading into singles play.

Ström walked away with a win after two close sets (7-6, 7-5) on the number one court. Abreu Roman also won a tightly-contested first set by a score of 7-5 before settling in for a 6-1 win in the second set.

Salmaso and Vuksan each won their matches comfortably. Salmaso’s win on Saturday brings her duals record to 10-7 on the season while Vuksan improves to 8-6.

Missouri Western will aim to make it three-straight home wins when the team hosts Southwest Baptist (8-4, 4-1 MIAA) on Sunday.

MWSU VS. LU
SINGLES
Karolina Ström (MWSU) def. Haya Hamed (LWU) 7-6, 7-5
Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) def. Dana Minakova (LWU) 7-5, 6-1
Natalia Cordero (LWU) def. Ciarra Gilmore (MWSU) 6-7, 7-6, 11-9
Federica Salmaso (MWSU) def. Alexis McCarthy (LWU) 6-2, 6-2
Bojana Vuksan (MWSU) def. Laura Castro Milan (LWU) 6-2, 6-1
Erica Dunn (MWSU) def. No player (LWU), by default

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Hamed/McCarthy (LWU) 6-1
Cordero/Minakova (LWU) def. Alvarado Maldonado/Dunn (MWSU) 7-5
Salmaso/Vuksan (MWSU) def. No player/No player (LWU), by default

— MWSU Athletics —