JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team won two elimination games Saturday at the MIAA Tournament in Joplin to advance to the final four on Sunday.

The Griffons are now 32-19 after a 4-3 win over Northwest Missouri State and a 7-6 victory against Central Oklahoma.

Western will play a true semifinal game Sunday at 9:00 a.m. against Central Oklahoma again. The winner will advance to the MIAA Tournament championship game at 4:00 p.m. Sunday against the winner of the other semifinal between Missouri Southern and Lindenwood.

NOTABLES
Game One
– Alex Heuring pinch hit in the top of the eighth inning to deliver a two RBI triple with two outs to give MWSU the only lead it would need to eliminate the Bearcats

– Missouri Western scored on back-to-back singles in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2 but could not do any further damage after leaving the bases loaded

– Heuring’s triple was the only extra base for the Griffons in the win

– Missouri Western has now eliminated Northwest Missouri from the MIAA Tournament for back-to-back years

Game Two
– Missouri Western scored three runs in the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead as Nick Gawley started the rally on a leadoff double

– Jeremy Alvarado and Levi Schreiner had back-to-back RBIs to put MWSU up 6-2

– David Glaude knocked his eighth home run of the season in the eighth inning to give the Griffons a 7-4 lead

– Missouri Western had 10 hits in the win, the first time it has recorded 10 hits in this season’s MIAA tournament

– The first four batters for MWSU combined for seven hits and six runs scored

TOP PERFORMERS
Game One
– Logan Marston was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and run scored

– Nate Hunter went 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs with five strikeouts

– Richard Peoples picked up the six out save for the Griffons

Game Two
– Nick Gawley was 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored

– Levi Schreiner went for 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs

– Dustin Agnew pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts in his seventh win of the season

— MWSU Athletics —

SEARCY, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team’s season came to an end Saturday with a 7-3 loss to Winona State in the NCAA Division II Central Regional.

The Griffons couldn’t overcome an early 7-0 deficit after Winona State scored two runs in the first and five in the third, though they found some offense in the bottom half of the third with two runs.

NOTABLES
– The Griffons got their first hit of the regional tournament in the third when Katie Klosterman hit a two-out, RBI double off the wall in left. Sydney Washington followed with a single to right. She got caught in a run-down between first and second that allowed Klosterman to score before Washington was thrown out.

– Washington scored the Griffons’ third run in the sixth when Megan Korgie reached on an error

– Winona State scored all seven of its runs with two outs

– Missouri Western left five runners on base, drawing two walks, a hit batter and getting five hits after being no-hit in its regional opener against Harding

– It was the final game for six Griffon seniors who won 157 games in their career and became the only class in program history to qualify for four regional tournaments

TOP PERFORMERS
– Washington was 2 for 3 with a run scored in her final game as a Griffon

– Shelby Uhl went 2 for 3 with a walk to finish her sophomore season with a .333 batting average, third highest on the team

– Barbara Billingsley held Winona State scoreless through 4 and a third innings of relief. The junior gave up six hits, but walked just one and struck out two.

— MWSU Athletics —

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team lost to Lindenwood Friday 6-1 in the second round of the MIAA Tournament in Joplin. The Griffons fall to 30-19, while the Lions improve to 33-17.

NOTABLES
– Lindenwood scored in the top of the third inning with an RBI single to left center to take an early 1-0 lead and then added two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-run home run

– Zach Cross worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning with a fly out to right field for the Griffons

– Missouri Western turned its 54th double play of the season, which leads the MIAA, in the top of the sixth inning

– MWSU got on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Bailey Zimmer sacrifice fly that scored Andrew Curry

– Missouri Western’s four through six hitters combined for three hits and a run scored

– The Griffons have only lost three games in its last 17 games

TOP PERFORMERS
– Andrew Curry was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and double

– Bailey Zimmer recorded an RBI in his two at-bats

– Lindenwood’s Kyle Teter was 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs

– Sam Baxter was 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Lions

UP NEXT
Missouri Western will play Northwest Missouri State in an elimination game at 9 a.m. Saturday at Warren Turner Field in Joplin.

— MWSU Athletics —

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team opened the MIAA Tournament in Joplin Thursday with a 1-0 win in 10 innings over rival Northwest Missouri State.

The Griffons’ Nick Gawley drove in Logan Marston with a single in the 10th as Western improves to 30-18 this season and the Bearcats drop to 31-19.

MWSU advances to the winners bracket to take on Lindenwood Thursday.

The game started 50 minutes late and then again was delayed for 2 and half hours in the sixth inning due to weather.

NOTABLES
– Marston singled through the left side to get on base in the 10th inning

– MWSU turned four double play in the win

– Levi Schreiner had a one-out double in the fourth inning but the Griffons could not get any closer as the next two batters were unable to advance him on fly outs

– Missouri Western would get the first two batters aboard in the bottom of the sixth inning but would strand both runners

– MWSU pitchers combined for seven strikeouts

TOP PERFORMERS
– Richard Peoples threw five innings and five strikeouts before the weather delay ended his start

– Nate Hunter tossed five relief innings to get the win as he gave no runs on three hits with two strikeouts

– Nick Gawley was 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI

-Levi Schreiner went 2-for-4 with a double

UP NEXT
Missouri Western will play Lindenwood Friday at approximately 3 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

SEARCY, Ark. – It didn’t feel like the Missouri Western softball team was no-hit and run-ruled in its regional opener against top-seeded and No. 2 ranked Harding Thursday, but the Griffons were.

Harding (55-6) scored eight runs through just less than five innings and the Lady Bisons’ freshman pitcher, Autumn Humes no-hit the Griffons, allowing just one base runner for an 8-0 win over Missouri Western (38-19) in the team’s first-ever NCAA Division II Central Regional game.

NOTABLES
– It was a 1-0 game through two innings with Harding getting a two-out RBI-double from Humes in the first

– Harding scored three in the third, one of those with two out, and three in the fifth to end the game

– The Lady Bisons’ last two runs both came on wild pitches, one by starter Kenzie Hilzer and one by Barbara Billingsley against the only batter she faced in relief

– Kailey Green was the Griffons’ only base runner after drawing a two-out walk in the fifth

– Hilzer gave up all eight runs, all earned on eight hits, but four of those hits were in the third and three others in the fifth. She held Harding to just one hit in her other three innings, including a perfect second inning

UP NEXT
Missouri Western faces elimination Friday at 1:30 p.m. against fourth-seeded Winona State (49-12) which lost to fifth-seeded Southern Arkansas, 5-0 on Thursday. Should the Griffons defeat Winona State, they’ll play the loser of the Southern Arkansas, Harding game at 4 p.m. Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The 2017 All-MIAA baseball teams released Thursday morning feature 12 Griffons, including MIAA Co-Freshman of the Year Dusty Stroup.

Stroup received the honor after batting starting 44 games as a true freshman and batting .335. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri native led the team with six triples. His six home runs were second most on the team and his 10 doubles were tied for third most. Stroup was also named honorable mention as a short stop where he fielded at a .933 percentage.

On the first team for Missouri Western were starting pitcher Richard Peoples and outfielder Nick Gawley. Peoples led the MIAA with 96.1 innings pitched and five complete games. He takes an 8-2 record and a 3.36 ERA into the MIAA tournament this week. Gawley’s 37 stolen bases led the MIAA and broke an MWSU single season record. The senior led the team with his .367 batting average and 16 doubles. It was Peoples’ first time on the first team, but his third All-MIAA selection overall after being named third team as a junior and third team as a relief pitcher his first year at MWSU in 2015. Gawley was a second team selection a year ago.

Missouri Western’s lone second team honoree was second baseman David Glaude. The senior became MWSU’s all-time leader in doubles, home runs and RBIs this season. He entered the postseason second on the team with a .360 batting average, but led the team in home runs with seven and his 46 RBIs led the team. Glaude was a first team selection in 2016 and honorable mention as a sophomore in 2015. Glaude was also named a MIAA gold glove winner this season after fielding at a .978 percentage with just five errors in 47 starts.

Nate Hunter was named to the third team in his first season with the Griffons. The junior led the MIAA with a 2.34 ERA and his 7-2 record tied him for the third most wins in the conference. Hunter threw two complete games himself, allowed less than one hit per inning and walked just 23 batters in 77 innings pitched.

Honorable mention selections for Missouri Western were Dustin Agnew (starting pitcher), Jared Lloyd (relief pitcher), Logan Marston (catcher), Bailey Zimmer (first base), Dusty Stroup (shortstop), Levi Schreiner (outfield), Andrew Curry (outfield) and Jeremy Alvarado (utility).

2017 ALL-MIAA BASEBALL TEAM
Player of the Year: Max Hogan, Sr., 3B, Missouri Southern

Pitcher of the Year: Anthony Caeneppel, Sr., SP, Northwest Missouri

Co-Freshman of the Year: Dusty Stroup, SS, Missouri Western & Andrew Meier, P/OF, Southwest Baptist

Coach of the Year: Bob Fornelli, Emporia State

First Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Anthony Caenepeel, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Pitcher: Richard Peoples, Sr., Missouri Western
Pitcher: Zach Girrens, Jr., Central Missouri
Relief Pitcher: Connor Law, Sr., Lindenwood
Catcher: Hunter Hisky, So., Southwest Baptist
First Base: Collin Nevil, Jr., Central Missouri
Second Base: Ryan McBroom, Sr., Emporia State
Shortstop: Levi Ashmore, Sr., Emporia State
Third Base: Max Hogan, Sr., Missouri Southern
Outfield: Justin Graff-Rowe, Jr., Central Missouri^
Outfield: Tyler Sutherland, Sr., Missouri Southern^
Outfield: Wes Degener, Jr., Lindenwood^$
Outfield: Nick Gawley, Sr., Missouri Western^
Designated Hitter: Dallas Schramm, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney
Utility: Travis Stroup, Sr., Central Missouri
^=Four outfielders due to tie in the voting
$=Repeat first team selection

Second Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Seth Holman, Jr., Emporia State
Pitcher: Steven D’Amico, Sr., Central Missouri
Pitcher: Brendan Feldmann, Sr., Lindenwood
Relief Pitcher: Gibson Russ, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Catcher: Mason Brown, Jr., Emporia State
First Base: Kaden Shaffer, Jr., Emporia State
Second Base: David Glaude, Sr., Missouri Western
Shortstop: Jackson Schnurbusch, Sr., Central Missouri
Third Base: Alex White, Sr., Emporia State
Outfield: Andrew Vogelbaugh, Jr., Pittsburg State
Outfield: Mack Gowing, Jr., Emporia State
Outfield: Andrew Meier, Fr., Southwest Baptist
Designated Hitter: Erik Webb, Fr., Central Missouri
Utility: Ty Redington, Sr., Fort Hays State

Third Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Tanner Cairns, So., Emporia State
Pitcher: Holden Capps, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Pitcher: Nate Hunter, Jr., Missouri Western
Relief Pitcher: Nikko Pablo, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Catcher: Dave Prost, Jr., Missouri Southern
First Base: Joe Paulino, Sr., Missouri Southern
Second Base: Dallas Reed, Jr., Pittsburg State
Shortstop: Riley Krane, Sr., Washburn
Third Base: Caleb Sneed, Jr., Southwest Baptist
Outfield: Travis Able, Jr., Central Missouri*
Outfield: Hunter Clanin, Jr., Pittsburg State*
Outfield: Jake Dyer, Jr., Central Oklahoma*
Outfield: Jordan Payne, Jr., Northeastern State*
Designated Hitter: Chance Wolfe, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Utility: Drew Quinones, Jr., Lindenwood
*= Four outfielders due to tie in the voting
Gold Glove Team
Catcher: Hunter Hisky, So., Southwest Baptist#
Catcher: Mason Brown, Jr., Emporia State#
First Base: Kaden Shaffer, Jr., Emporia State
Second Base: David Glaude, Sr., Missouri Western
Shortstop: Jackson Schnurbusch, Sr., Central Missouri
Third Base: Alex White, Sr., Emporia State
Outfield: Travis Able, Jr., Central Missouri
Outfield: Tyler Sutherland, Sr., Missouri Southern
Outfield: Korey Floyd, Sr., Central Oklahoma
*= Two catchers due to tie in the voting
Honorable Mention

Pitcher: Andrew Eilers, Lindenwood; Kyle Hentis, Lindenwood; Blake Beckmann, Lindenwood; Dustin Agnew, Missouri Western; Zach Parish, Northeastern State; Hunter Neal, Northeastern State; Nolan Sturgeon, Northeastern State; Cody Whiting, Pittsburg State; Brian Womack, Southwest Baptist; Lance Barkley, Washburn.

Relief Pitcher: Tayler Ross, Central Missouri; Nathan Whitcomb, Emporia State; Jared Lloyd, Missouri Western; Ty Rowe, Pittsburg State; Cooper Gardner, Pittsburg State.

Catcher: John Fairchild, Central Missouri; Trevor Hughes, Fort Hays State; Logan Marston, Missouri Western; Chad Reibenspies, Northeastern State; T.J. Martin, Pittsburg State.

First Base: Bailey Zimmer, Missouri Western.

Second Base: Kyle Miskovsky, Central Oklahoma; Tyler Meuhling, Lindenwood; Alec Alvarez, Missouri Southern; Ozzie Adams, Northwest Missouri; Nelson Muniz, Southwest Baptist.

Shortstop: Justin Brown, Central Oklahoma; Richie Gorski, Missouri Southern; Dusty Stroup, Missouri Western; Butch Rea, Northeastern State; Colton Pogue, Pittsburg State; Sean Murley, Southwest Baptist.

Third Base: Dakota Morse, Northeastern State; Landon Figg, Northwest Missouri.

Outfield: BJ Dean, Emporia State; Wade Hanna, Emporia State; Kyle Teter, Lindenwood; Danny Biggs, Missouri Southern; Levi Schreiner, Missouri Western; Andrew Curry, Missouri Western; Garrett Fort, Northwest Missouri; Jovany Urbieta, Southweest Baptist; Clint Jack, Southwest Baptist; Darian Abram, Washburn.

Designated Hitter: Brett Graham, Missouri Southern; Ethan Schlesener, Pittsburg State.

Utility: Jeremy Alvarado, Missouri Western; Dakota Woods, Northeastern State; Luke Hassman, Northwest Missouri.