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 —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Shi Qing Ong leads the MIAA Women’s Golf Championship with a two-day total of 154. Ong took the lead after she shot an even-par 72 in the second round. Missouri Western remained in fourth place with a 649 over the two rounds.

Tiffanie Yabut is tied for fifth place with a 160 after she carded a 79 on the second day. Tied for 10th place is Chong Yong with a two-day score of 162. Jenna Kosmatka finished inside the top-30 with a 173. Katie Irvin rounded out the MWSU scorecard with a 176.

Ong leads the individual field by a stroke heading into the last day. Northeastern State leads the team standings with a 636. Missouri Western tees off the final round from Swope Memorial Golf Course at 9:20 a.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Griffon men’s golf shot a 291 in the second round of the MIAA Men’s Golf Championships at Sycamore Ridge Golf Course.

Patrick McCarthy led MWSU in the second round with a 3-under-par 69. McCarthy and Kevin Kim are both tied for 15th with a 147. Tom Buffington carded a 151 in the two rounds to rank just inside the top-30. Lucas Horseman finished the day with a 4-over-par 76 and is at 152 for the tournament. Cole Roberts shot a 153 for the Griffons over two days.

Lindenwood leads the team field with a 574. LWU’s Yente Van Doren is the clubhouse header with a 4-under-par 140. Missouri Western is in eighth place heading into Wednesday’s final round and tees off at 8:30 a.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Griffon men’s golf shot a 305 in the first round of the MIAA Championships at Sycamore Ridge Golf Course.

Tom Buffington, Kevin Kim and Lucas Horseman each carded a 4-over-par 76 in the round and are tied for 24th. Cole Roberts recorded a 77 and Patrick McCarthy trailed him by a stroke in the round at 78.

Missouri Southern leads the team field after a first day score of 292. The individual lead is shared by three-players, who each finished the day with a 2-under-par 70. Missouri Western tees off the second round, tomorrow, April 24 at 8:30 a.m.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Griffon women’s golf is in fourth place with a 331 after the first round of the MIAA Women’s Golf Championships at Swope Memorial Golf Course.

Chong Yong led Missouri Western with an 80 and is tied for sixth place. Tiffanie Yabut trailed Yong by a stroke in the round at 81 and is tied for ninth. Shi Qing Ong recorded an 82 and ended the round in 14th. Jenna Kosmatka shot an 88 and Katie Irvin finished the day with an 89.

Northeastern State sits atop of the team leaderboard with a 319. NSU’s Ebba Moberg leads the individual field with a 78. MWSU tees off the second round Tuesday at 9:20 a.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

EDMOND, Okla. – Jacob Miller pitched eight shutout innings to help Griffon Baseball (23-20, 16-14) win the second game of a doubleheader at No. 18 Central Oklahoma (31-15, 23-9) on Sunday.

Miller’s gem led to Missouri Western’s only win in the three-game series. The Griffons won game two 4-1 after the Bronchos rallied for a 5-4 win in game one of the day. Missouri Western jumped out to a 4-0 lead in game two and kept UCO off the board until the ninth. The Griffs also led 4-0 heading to the bottom of the eighth in game one before UCO scored four in the bottom half and sneaked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a failed pickoff attempt at first base.

NOTABLES

• Miller went eight innings in game two, allowing four hits. He struck out seven and walked four
• Nate Hunter allowed two runs through 7 1/3 in game one on six hits
• Trevor Carroll struck out three in one inning of work in game two, but did allow one run on two hits
• Levi Schreiner collected three hits in the doubleheader including a solo home run. He also walked once and scored a run
• Casey Danley had his hitting streak stopped at 16 games, but did get a hit in game two and drove in two runs on the day
• Brooks Day went 2-for-5 on the day

UP NEXT
The Griffons conclude their rivalry series with Northwest Missouri on Wednesday with a trip to Maryville for a 2 p.m. first pitch. The eight-game road streak concludes this weekend at Fort Hays State.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western softball team will be the No. 5-seed in this week’s MIAA Softball Championships and will open postseason play with its rival Northwest Missouri State.

Missouri Western will open the postseason tournament against No. 4-seed Northwest Missouri State at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 26. The double-elimination tournament will be played at ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The Griffons ended the regular season in a tie for fifth with Northeastern State, but earned the No. 5 seed by way of their regular season sweep of the RiverHawks on March 22. Missouri Western finished with a record of 24-27 with a 15-11 mark in the MIAA. Northwest Missouri went 25-17 overall and 16-10 in the MIAA. The two teams split their lone regular season doubleheader on March 27 in Maryville. MWSU took game one, 8-0 in five innings before dropping game two, 1-0.

With a win in its first game, Thursday, Missouri Western will face the winner of No. 1 Washburn versus No. 8 Emporia State at 7:30 p.m. A loss against Northwest Missouri and the Griffons will see the loser of the same game at the same time.

Tickets for the MIAA Championships are $10 for adults per day. Student tickets are $5 with children 6 and under admitted free. Gates will open Thursday at 3 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 4:30 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —