PITTSBURG, Kan. – Situational hitting in the late innings and a shutdown performance on the mound helped the Missouri Western baseball team (18-15, 15-10) to its fourth-straight win, 7-3 over Pittsburg State (21-18, 13-12) Thursday night.
The Griffons scored five runs over the final three frames to help get Thomas Ruwe a win in his second career start. Ruwe improved on his impressive first start last week against Northwest Missouri, holding Pittsburg State to one hit over eight innings with eight strikeouts and just two walks.
During the team’s four-game win streak, the Griffons have scored 24 runs in the sixth inning or later.
NOTABLES
The Gorillas took a 2-0 lead on a home run off Ruwe in the second. The only allowed one more base runner over his next six innings.
A 2-2 game through six innings, the Griffons scored five over the final three frames with a Brooks Day home run in the seventh, two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth
Chas Verduzco got a two-out rally started in the ninth with a two-out single up the middle
The Griffons sent four more to the plate in the ninth, getting RBI singles from Casey Danley and Dusty Stroup
Andrew Curry shot a ball to right with one out in the eight to get Fahd Shakeel home from third
Brooks Day laid down a bunt one batter later to get Stroup home
Levi Abrahamson gave up a run on two hits and a walk in the ninth, but struck out the other three batters he faced to preserve the win for Ruwe
Missouri Western out-hit Pitt State 11-3 and didn’t commit an error
The Griffons stole three bases in the game
UP NEXT
Game two of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m., Friday in Pittsburg.
WARRENSBURG, Missouri – While it took 10 innings to do so, the Northwest Missouri State baseball team snapped its 5-game losing skid with an 11-10 victory over MIAA-rival Central Missouri.
Alixon Herrera went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and Derek Hussey drove in four runs as the Bearcats. It is Herrera’s first four-hit game of his collegiate career at Northwest.
It’s Northwest’s first win in Warrensburg since March 8, 2015. Northwest’s last extra-inning victory came against UCM in Maryville when the Bearcats posted a 5-4 triumph on April 5, 2018.
During a quiet first two innings for the Bearcats (18-20, 14-11 MIAA), the Mules’ offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, crossing one run in the first and another in the second to take the early 2-0 lead.
Northwest answered in the top of the third inning by scoring one of its own, coming on a solo home run by sophomore infielder Matt Gastner and bringing the score to 2-1.
After retiring Central Missouri in the home half of the third, the Bearcats added three more runs to the scoreboard in the fourth, taking the lead away from the Mules, 4-2. Northwest recorded three hits during the inning and used successful small ball to move its runners around the base path. Senior infielder Mondesi Gutierrez stole home to record the final run of the inning.
Following stalemate innings in the fifth and sixth, both squad’s offenses heated back up in the seventh. For Northwest, senior outfielder Derek Hussey smacked a two-out, solo shot over the right field wall. Central Missouri answered with a run of its own after a one-out, two-bagger was hit by infielder Cole Taylor.
In the eighth, the Bearcats scored five runs on four hits to increase their lead to 10-3 over the Mules. Peter Carlson doubled to right center, recording the first RBI of the inning, scoring Quick. With the bases juiced, Hussey hit the second double of the inning and cleared the bases, scoring Jay Hrdlicka, Gutierrez and Carlson. A bases-loaded walk scored the final run of the top of the inning and gave Northwest a 10-3 lead.
Central Missouri scored four runs in the home-half of the eight to claw back at the Bearcat lead, 10-7.
After a three-up, three-down was recorded by Northwest in the top of the ninth, senior pitcher Trevor Dudar was brought in to attempt to complete the save for the Bearcats. Dudar gave up three runs (three earned) in his outing that allowed the Mules to send the contest into extra innings.
Senior catcher Alixon Herrera led off the 10th for Northwest, slapping a triple to right field. Herrera scored when Gutierrez grounded out to second. The Bearcats took back the lead, 11-10.
In the bottom of the 10th, sophomore Aaron Easley walked onto the bump to close out the ball game. He did just that, forcing Central Missouri into a one, two, three inning and giving Northwest the first win of the three-game series. Easley was credited with his first career save and Dudarr was awarded the win.
Sophomore Max Spitzmiller got the start on the mound for Northwest, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out two. Spitzmiller went six and 1/3 innings on the hill.
Northwest and Central Missouri will play game two of the series Friday at 4 p.m. in Warrensburg.
Notes: Quick extended his team-high, 15-game hitting streak and his team-leading 22-game on-base streak … Alixon Herrera went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and notched his first four-hit game of his career … Derek Hussey batted in four RBIs.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced the bracket for the MIAA Tennis Championships in Oklahoma City next weekend. Missouri Western (11-12, 2-7 MIAA) landed in the eighth spot and will face off against the top-seeded Washburn Ichabods in the opening quarterfinal round, who are also ranked fifth in the country.
The MIAA Tennis Championships feature an eight-team single-elimination tournament. The winners of the quarterfinals matches on Friday will advance Saturday’s semifinals, with those winners again advancing to the championship match on Sunday.
Missouri Western heads to Oklahoma City having won three of its last five duals matches. The Griffons will look do what only one team has accomplished against the Ichabods this season. The only team to defeat Washburn this season was Air Force, who has gone 21-1 at the NCAA Div. I level.
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball checked in at No. 6 in the first edition of the NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings.
Missouri Western owns the second longest win streak in the nation at 12 games and also received a vote in this week’s NFCA Coaches Top-25 poll. The Griffons are 30-14 overall and sit alone in second place in the MIAA with a 17-5 record. The Griffons have two regular series remaining, hosting Washburn and Emporia State next weekend. Washburn currently is 13-5 in MIAA play in third place in the standings.
During the team’s 12-game win streak – its longest since 2015 – the Griffons hit .336 with 25 doubles and eight home runs. The pitching staff has drastically improved over the last six series, going 12-0 and posting a 1.17 ERA. Griffon pitchers posted a 1.14 WHIP and held opposing batters to a .231 average during the streak.
There weren’t many strangers in the Central Region Rankings. The Griffons have played four of the five teams ranked ahead of them and three of the four behind them already this season. Overall, MWSU is 4-5 against teams ranked in the top-10 of the first Central Region Rankings.
NCAA DIVISION II CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS (records as of April 14, 2019)
1
Central Okla.
35-3
2
Augustana (SD)
34-7
3
Winona St.
29-5
4
Southern Ark.
37-8
5
Arkansas Tech
31-13
6
Missouri Western
30-14
7
Minn. Duluth
21-14
8
St. Cloud St.
29-11
9
Central Mo.
24-16
10
Harding
29-17
The top-eight teams in the final regional rankings advance to the NCAA Division II Softball Championships .The top two seeds will host three other teams each. Missouri Western is looking for its first NCAA postseason appearance since 2017 and 11th since 2005.
SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State University has selected Amaka Agugua-Hamilton (Uh-mah-kuh Uh-goo-gwa) to be its eighth head women’s basketball coach. Agugua-Hamilton will be formally introduced at a 3 p.m. press conference on Wednesday, April 17, in the Prime Overtime Club inside JQH Arena, and was unanimously approved by the Missouri State University Board of Governors early Wednesday morning after and an extensive national search.
The first African-American female head coach for any sport at Missouri State, Agugua-Hamilton, 36, is an 18-year veteran of Division I women’s basketball, including four seasons as a player at Hofstra and four coaching stops, most recently on the staff Michigan State for the past six seasons, the last four as Associate Head Coach.
“I am excited to welcome Coach Mox to Missouri State University and know she will build on the good work that has gone on before to create an even stronger women’s basketball program at the University,” said Missouri State President Clif Smart. “I commend Kyle Moats and the search committee for their good work.”
During an impressive six-year stint at Michigan State, Coach Mox helped the Spartans to four seasons with at least 21 wins, four NCAA Tournaments, one WNIT bid, and the 2014 Big Ten regular season title. She was integral in signing four consecutive top-35 recruiting classes, most recently the seventh-ranked group in the nation, and recruited and coached 26 all-conference players and a pair of top-10 WNBA draft choices. She also earned four victories as interim head coach in 2017, and aided the Spartans to an overall 125-72 record and 58-44 Big Ten mark in six years.
“Coach Mox has everything we were looking for in a coach,” said Kyle Moats, MSU’s director of athletics. “She is a player’s coach, detailed-oriented, disciplined, high integrity, community-oriented, and is completely invested in the student-athlete – wanting to make them great people first and great basketball players second.”
A native of Herndon, Va., Agugua-Hamilton is a 2005 graduate of Hofstra University, where she averaged 10.2 points and 6.0 rebounds over a 95-game career. She is the Pride’s career field goal percentage leader at .551, and graduated with the top three single-season field goal percentage marks in school history. A four-year team captain, she was a second-team all-Colonial Athletic Association pick in 2004, and helped Hofstra to a WNIT berth in 2006, the school’s first ever postseason appearance.
Prior to Michigan State, Agugua-Hamilton was the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at Old Dominion for two seasons, helping the Monarchs to an eight-win improvement and WNIT berth her second year in 2012-13. She recruited and coached eight all-CAA selections and one WNBA draft pick while at ODU.
Before her time at ODU, Agugua-Hamilton worked at Indiana for two seasons (2009-11) as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, and at Virginia Commonwealth for three years, as a graduate assistant (2006-07) and assistant coach (2007-09). She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from Hofstra in 2005 and received her master’s degree in sports leadership and administration from VCU in 2007.
Agugua-Hamilton married Billy Hamilton in 2017. The couple has a son, Eze, born in April 2018. She replaces Kellie Harper, who was hired as the head coach at her alma mater, Tennessee, following the 2018-19 season.
The Lady Bears lose only one senior from a 2018-19 squad that finished 25-10 overall, ranked 24th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time in program history.
Agugua-Hamilton’s contract, which was also approved by the Board of Governors, is a five-year agreement through April 16, 2024, with a base salary of $240,000. Additional achievement incentives for NCAA and WNIT appearances, conference championships, coaching honors, attendance average and APR standards are also included in the agreement.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After a dominating three-round performance at the SBU Invitational this week, the MIAA announced on Tuesday that Patrick McCarthy was named Golfer of the Week. Along with winning the tournament, McCarthy also led Missouri Western to a second-place finish at the event.
McCarthy earned his first tournament win of the season with a convincing four-stroke victory in Bolivar. He finished the event with a combined three-round score of 215 (-1). The junior entered Tuesday’s final round in a tie for second, but separated himself from the field with a score of 70 (-2) in the third round.
Out of the 243 total rounds among the 81 competing golfers, there were only four individual rounds at 70 or below. Two of those four scores of 70 or below belonged to McCarthy, as he also shot a 70 in the first round.
McCarthy and the Griffons will compete for a conference title at the MIAA Championship in Money Island, Oklahoma on April 24-26.
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western State University director of athletics Josh Looney has announced an agreement with Candi Whitaker to become the ninth head women’s basketball coach at Missouri Western.
Whitaker recently served as the head coach at Texas Tech from 2013-18. Previously she was an associate head coach at Oklahoma State (2012-13) and the head coach at UMKC (2006-12). She has coached 24 student-athletes to all-conference honors, 47 to academic all-conference status and produced seven nationally ranked recruiting classes. As a head coach, Whitaker’s student-athletes have posted a 100 percent graduation rate.
“Candi is poised to make a difference at Missouri Western,” Looney said. “We are not only adding an excellent basketball coach, but most importantly, an outstanding leader and role model for the women in our athletic program. Candi and her family will be an asset to our University and the St. Joseph community. We are thrilled to welcome Candi, Matt, Westin, William and Callahan into the Griffon family”
Whitaker will be introduced to Griffon Nation in a press conference at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 in the Hall of Fame room inside Spratt Memorial Stadium.
“My family and I could not be more excited to join the Missouri Western family,” Whitaker said. “The tradition of the women’s basketball program, facilities, community support and the toughest Division II conference in the country, make MWSU a special place. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”
Named the sixth head coach at her alma mater in 2013, Whitaker turned around the program between year one and year two, going from seven wins to 15. In five seasons leading the Lady Raiders, Whitaker had four players named All-Big 12. In her final season at Texas Tech, Japreece Dean was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team after being named conference freshman of the week for a record six times. Whitaker led Texas Tech to four consecutive Big 12 Championship appearances and back-to-back quarterfinal appearances. Under Whitaker’s guidance, 11 Lady Raiders were named Academic All-Big 12 with eight earning spots on the Dean’s or President’s List.
Prior to one season as associate head coach at Oklahoma State, Whitaker became one of the youngest head coaches in women’s basketball, taking over the UMKC women’s program at age 26. She won 83 games at UMKC and left as the program’s second-winningest head coach. She led the ‘Roos to their first two NCAA Division I postseason appearances, the 2010 WBI and the 2012 WNIT. Whitaker’s 2011-12 UMKC team went 22-12 and advanced to the Summit League Tournament Championship for the first time in seven years. It remains the just the second 20-win season in the program’s time as a Division I member. Between 2008 and 2012, Whitaker produced more wins than UMKC had seen in a four-year period in 16 years. Whitaker recruited and coached UMKC’s all-time leading scorer Chanzy Morrison, and she mentored 36 Academic All-Conference selections.
Whitaker began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Valparaiso from 2002-04. During her time at Valpo, the Crusaders won back-to-back Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Championships, achieved two NCAA Tournament berths and two 20-win seasons.
Then Candi White, Whitaker helped Texas Tech to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances as a student-athlete from 2000-02. She started and played in all 64 games over two seasons under legendary head coach Marsha Sharp while totaling 232 points, 249 assists and 87 steals.
Prior to playing at Texas Tech, Whitaker played two seasons at Seward County Community College where she averaged 10.2 points and 10.8 assists and was named Honorable Mention NJCAA All-American. Whitaker’s 577 career assists at Seward County is still a record and she ranks third all-time with 225 steals.
Whitaker graduated from Texas Tech in 2002 with a degree in Exercise Sports Science and earned her Master’s in Sports Administration at Valparaiso in 2004. She and her husband, Matt Whitaker, have three sons, Westin, William and Callahan.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT COACH WHITAKER
“Candi is a great individual and a player’s coach. She develops strong and longstanding relationships with her players and families. She was a great point guard in college so she has a great mind for the game. The MIAA could be the best NCAA DII conference in the country for women’s basketball. The coach needs to be elite to have success and Candi is the perfect person for the position.”
Brian Agler, WNBA Dallas Wings head coach
“Missouri Western is a program with a long and proud tradition. Choosing Candi Whitaker to lead the program will continue that in the future. Candi is an outstanding person and coach. She and her family will be great additions to the Missouri Western family.”
Bill Fennelly, Iowa State head women’s basketball coach
“Candi Whitaker will bring instant energy, passion and a strong work ethic which will immediately impact this basketball program. She has been around great basketball her entire life and brings all of those experiences with her. I am excited to watch her start this new era for Missouri Western State University.”
Marsha Sharp, former Texas Tech head women’s basketball coach and associate athletic director
“Missouri Western is getting a great coach and even better person. Candi’s experience and leadership will help propel the school to the next level. I’m looking forward to following her success at Missouri Western.”
Mike Carey, West Virginia head women’s basketball coach
BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s golf squad placed second at the SBU Invitational on Tuesday, the team’s last tournament before the MIAA Championship. Patrick McCarthy earned his first tournament win of the season, dominating the field with a three-round score of 215 (-1).
The Griffons finished in a tie for second place among the 16 competing teams, shooting a total score of 896. The Griffons were consistent throughout the tournament, scoring rounds of 297, 300, and 299. Their second-place finish also ties their best finish of the season, as the Griffons also tied for second at the Holiday Inn Express Classic in St. Joseph.
McCarthy earns the tournament win after entering Tuesday’s final round tied for second. McCarthy shot a 70 (-2) in the third round to win the event by a convincing four strokes. Out of the 243 total rounds among the 81 competing golfers, there were only four rounds at 70 or below. Two of those four scores of 70 or below belonged to McCarthy, as he also shot a 70 in the first round.
Cole Roberts had his best round of the SBU Invitational in Tuesday’s final round, shooting a 73 (+1) to bring his three-round total to 226. Roberts finished tied for 14th after having entered the final round in a tie for 25th.
Tom Buffington tied for 27th with a score of 229, shooting a 77 (+5) in the third round. His best round came in the second when he parred the course with a 72 (E).
Lucas Horseman finished in the upper half of the leaderboard as well, tying for 29th with a score of 230. Jake Misesch ended the event with a score of 235 for the Griffons.
Missouri Western will now return to St. Joseph to prepare for the MIAA Championship in Money Island, Oklahoma on April 24.
TOPEKA, Kansas – The Washburn Ichabods rallied for four runs in the eighth inning off the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats to score a 6-4 non-conference victory on Tuesday.
After a scoreless opening pair of innings to begin the contest, Washburn (19-17, 11-13 MIAA) scored first in the third. Junior catcher Steven Jacobson hit a solo shot over the left field wall.
Washburn increased its lead over Northwest (17-20, 13-11 MIAA) to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth after Jacobson doubled to deep center field and scored an unearned run attributed to Bearcat pitcher Max Ross.
The Bearcat offense ignited in the sixth. Logan Rycraft led off with a single.Connor Quick extended his hitting streak to 14 in a row by tripling Rycraft home to put the Bearcats on the board. Jay Hrdlicka followed with an RBI single to tie the contest at 2-2.
Mondesi Gutierrez tripled to lead off the seventh and scored on a Jordan Peck single to center. Tim Olson doubled to move Peck to third. Peck would eventually cross the plate on a sacrifice fly from Rycraft to give the Bearcats a 4-2 lead.
In the eighth, pitcher Aaron Easley came on as the fifth relief pitcher in the game for the Bearcats but was greeted by a walk, a double, a two-RBI single and a balk before he was removed from the game in favor of senior closer Trevor Dudar. Dudar induced a sacrifice fly but then allowed a triple and another run-scoring single to leave the Bearcats in the hole, 6-4.
The Bearcats went three-up, three-down in the ninth inning to drop the game. Easley was given the loss and he falls to 1-2 this season.
The Bearcats will return to action Thursday at 6 p.m. at Central Missouri. The Bearcats and Mules will play a three-game set in Warrensburg.
NOTES: Quick reached base for the 21st straight game and moved his hitting streak to 14 in a row … Quick had two hits in the game to give him 20 multi-hit contests this season … Calvin Rudolph saw a pair of his streaks snapped – 16-game hitting streak and a 17-game on-base streak … Peter Carlson has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games … Northwest is now 3-1 on the season when facing Washburn.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team has the week off the field, but that doesn’t mean the accolades can’t roll in. Senior left fielder Morgan Frost was named MIAA Hitter of the Week for the second time this season after pacing a red-hot MWSU offensive attack to a 6-0 record last week.
The Griffons hit 12-straight wins behind Frost batting .500 and slugging .769 through sweeps of Southwest Baptist, Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State. Frost went 13-for-26 at the plate with six extra base hits, five of them doubles. She drove in eight runs and scored six.
As a team, MWSU batted .357 through the last six games while holding opponents to a .238 average. The Griffons outscored their three opponents last week 44-14.
WARRENSBURG, Missouri – While it took 10 innings to do so, the Northwest Missouri State baseball team snapped its 5-game losing skid with an 11-10 victory over MIAA-rival Central Missouri.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced the bracket for the MIAA Tennis Championships in Oklahoma City next weekend. Missouri Western (11-12, 2-7 MIAA) landed in the eighth spot and will face off against the top-seeded Washburn Ichabods in the opening quarterfinal round, who are also ranked fifth in the country.
SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State University has selected Amaka Agugua-Hamilton (Uh-mah-kuh Uh-goo-gwa) to be its eighth head women’s basketball coach. Agugua-Hamilton will be formally introduced at a 3 p.m. press conference on Wednesday, April 17, in the Prime Overtime Club inside JQH Arena, and was unanimously approved by the Missouri State University Board of Governors early Wednesday morning after and an extensive national search.
