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Category: College

Northwest’s Klein named MIAA Field Athlete of the Week

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Northwest Missouri State junior long jumper Marcus Klein has been named the MIAA field athlete of the week.

Klein (Harlan, Iowa) automatically qualified for the NCAA outdoor track and field championship meet in the long jump with a series of jumps measuring – 7.61m, 7.61m, 7.75m and 7.75m – at the SBU Bearcat Invitational in Bolivar, Missouri. The 7.75 meter jump converts to 25′ 5.25″, which bests the previous school mark set by Matt Abele in 2001 (25’1.5″). Klein’s jump ranks No. 2 in the nation in the long jump among NCAA Division II competitors.

Earlier this spring, Klein captured the MIAA indoor title in the long jump.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri Western changes start times for two baseball games against Northwest this weekend

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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 —

MWSU women’s golf in 13th after first round of Central Region Preview

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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 —

Griffon softball takes two from Nebraska-Kearney to extend win streak to six

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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 —

Bearcat baseball defeats Fort Hays State 16-1 to complete three-game sweep

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MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Fort Hays State Sunday at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

Northwest defeated FHSU in seven innings, 16-1. Northwest has won a season-high six straight games. The Bearcats improved to 17-15 overall and 13-8 in MIAA play, while the Tigers fell to 3-27 overall and 2-19 in league play.

Starter Joe Funkhouser went the distance on the hill and allowed four hits and one run, while striking out seven. Funkhouser did not allow a hit in his final three innings of work. The Tigers had only one inning of putting multiple runners on base. Funkhouser earned his third win of the season.

With Funkhouser dealing on the mound, the Bearcat bats were sizzling. Northwest pounded out 17 hits and scored in five of its six at bats. Eight Northwest players scored two runs in the contest.

Alixon Herrera went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. Derek Hussey recorded his seventh three-hit game this season. Matt Gastner knocked in three runs.

Northwest will return to action Tuesday at 6 p.m. at T-Bones Ballpark in Kansas City. Northwest will meet the Pittsburg State Gorillas in a non-conference matchup.

NOTES: Connor Quick is batting a team-best .380 with 46 hits … Gastner ranks second on the squad with a .377 average … Quick and Herrera are tied for the team lead with 11 doubles … Herrera leads the squad with 28 RBI.

— Northwest Athletics —

Northwest softball drops two games at Fort Hays State

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HAYS, Kansas – The Northwest Missouri State University softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader at Fort Hays State on Sunday.

The Tigers won the contests by scores of 14-6 and 8-6.

Game One
Northwest started the game strong scoring two runs in the first inning. Erin Keeney hit a sacrifice fly to center field to allow Olivia Daugherty to score. Kiana Baderdeen singled to center field, bringing in Jaedra Moses to score and grab a 2-0 lead.

Fort Hays scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning, taking the lead 6-2.

Keeney got an RBI in the top of the third bringing in Daugherty to score, cutting the lead 6-3.

Fort Hays added seven more runs in the bottom of the third, advancing the lead to 13-3.

Karli Allen led off the fourth for the Bearcats with a homer to left field. Keeney singled to right field, bringing in Moses and Daugherty to score, cutting the lead to 13-6.

The Tigers scored another run in the bottom of the fourth inning, pushing the lead to 14-6 over the Bearcats and taking the win in five innings.

Game Two
Kiana Baderdeen singled to center in the top of the first, allowing Olivia Daugherty to score and go up 1-0 over the Tigers.

Fort Hays answered in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1.

The Tigers’ bats stayed strong in the bottom of the second scoring six more runs and taking the lead 7-1.

Jaedra Moses scored in the top of the third off an error by the third basemen. Jaclyn Weydert singled to left field, allowing Erin Keeney to score and cutting the Tigers’ lead 7-3.

Fort Hays scored one run in the bottom of the fourth from a Northwest error, pushing the lead 8-3.

The Bearcats scored three more runs in the top of the seventh. Karli Allen singled to right center bringing in Keeney to score. Weydert doubled down the infield line to allow Kenzi Sutton to score. Jacee Winn singled through the left side bringing in Ady Watts to score.

The seventh inning rally wasn’t enough as the Tigers went on to win game two 8-6.

Up next for the Bearcats is another road trip to Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri Western tennis loses to Southwest Baptist Sunday

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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 —

Griffons drop series finale at Emporia State 11-3

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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 —

Bearcats defeat Fort Hays State for fifth straight win

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MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team ran its season-high win streak to five in a row with a 4-3 triumph over the Fort Hays State Tigers on Saturday at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

Northwest (16-15 overall, 12-8 MIAA) got a three-hit performance from shortstop Logan Rycraft and six solid innings from starter Quintin Van Ackeren.

The Bearcats found themselves in an early hole as the Tigers touched up Van Ackeren for three runs in the first.

Northwest began chipping away at the three-run deficit in the home half of the third. Senior outfielder Derek Hussey led off the inning reaching base on an error. Hussey advanced on the next at bat on a successful sacrifice bunt by senior infielder Logan Rycraft. With two outs, junior infielder stepped into the batter’s box, slapping a single to center field and scoring Hussey from second base.

The Bearcats tied it up in the fourth. Senior Mondesi Gutierrez worked the count and drew a one-out walk. Hussey followed with his second hit of the game – a two-out double to deep left that plated Gutierrez all the way from first. Rycraft came through again with the first of his three hits with a single to center to score Hussey and knot the contest at 3-3.

Northwest took the lead of the contest in the fifth. Calvin Rudoph led off the inning with a single to right. Alixon Herrera tattooed a double down the left field line to move Hussey to third. Matt Gastner hit a sacrifice fly to right that was deep enough for Hussey to tag and score and give Northwest a 4-3 advantage.

Van Ackeren worked around a one-out walk in the sixth and head coach Darin Loe turned it over to the Bearcat bullpen. Alex Slocum worked a perfect seventh and Aaron Easley took advantage of a double play in the eighth to keep the Tigers off the board. Trevor Dudar closed the door in the ninth for his seventh save of the season.

The Bearcats will be back in action Sunday to play game three of the series against the Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

NOTES: Rycraft recorded his third three-hit game of the season … Hussey notched his 14th multi-hit contest on the year … Rudolph extended his hitting streak to a team-best 11 games in a row … Connor Quick moved his team-leading on-base streak to 15 games.

— Northwest Athletics —

Western softball sweeps doubleheader at Fort Hays State

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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 —

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