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Category: College

Missouri Western softball signs three student-athletes

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western softball head coach Jen Bagley Trotter announced the signings of three student-athletes set to join the team for the 2018 season.

Alyssa Griggs
UT | 5-7 | R/R
Louisburg, Kan. / Louisburg High School

Second team All-Frontier league as a junior … three-time Tri-County Spotlight team … batted .352 with a team-high 21 RBIs as a junior … three-year letter winner

“Alyssa has a ton of power potential,” Trotter said. “She is an eager talent who projects to be a force in our lineup.”

Kayla Prai
UT | 5-3 | R/R
Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln East H.S.

Batted .486 with a .534 on-base percentage at Lincoln East … a two-time all-conference and scholar-athlete award winner … Lincoln Journal Star All-State in 2016

“Kayla is a quick and versatile player,” Trotter said. “She will provide competition in our middle infield as well as in our outfield. She’s a great kid who will be a positive influence on our team.”
Melanie Rasmussen
OF | 5-7 | L/R
Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny High School

Second team All-Conference and All-Eastern Division as a junior … batted .368 and slugged .444 as a junior … both parents and three brothers all played sports at the collegiate level

“Melanie will provide our team with valuable left-side hitting ability,” Trotter said. “We are excited to see her growth as she commits to softball full-time in our program. She will be an exciting one to watch.”

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou snaps skid with 11-0 victory over Murray State

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riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball got another stellar midweek start from junior RHP Andy Toelken (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) as it snapped a six-game skid with a 11-0 win over Murray State Tuesday night (May 2) at Taylor Stadium. Mizzou also got a solo homer and three hits from junior C Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) as the Tigers improve to 28-18 on the year. Head coach Steve Bieser is now tied for the most wins ever by a first-year Mizzou head coach, matching the mark set by the 1974 team under legendary Mizzou head coach Gene McArtor.

Toelken pitched 7.0 innings and allowed just five hits and no runs for his first shutout appearance of the season. He struck out five batters and walked just two. He now has a 2.12 ERA in his last five starts and has surrendered just 21 hits in 34.0 innings while striking out 29 during those five starts. He improves to 3-3 on the year.

Mizzou took advantage of an error to score three runs in the bottom of the second. Junior Robbie Glendinning (Scarborough, Australia) reached on a throwing error by the MSU shortstop and Kameron Misner (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) hit an infield single to put two men on. Ian Nelson (Lake St. Louis, Mo.) then singled through the right side to plate a run. Mizzou tacked on another on a sacrifice fly and a two-out double by Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) to take a 3-0 lead after two.

Senior Kirby McGuire (Round Rock, Texas) manufactured a run in the bottom of the fifth inning after singling, stealing a base and taking third on a passed ball. He was knocked in by a Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) groundout to short to extend Mizzou’s lead to 4-0. Bond then hit his ninth homer of the year to push the lead to 5-0.

Mizzou broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning. After an RBI double by Misner, SS Chris Cornelius (St. Louis, Mo.) hit a single into right field and it got past the right fielder and all the way to the wall. That scored two runs and Cornelius came all the way around to score to complete the little league home run. That extended the lead to 9-0. The Tigers added two more runs in the eighth inning.

Sophomore RHP Brian Sharp (Liberty, Mo.) took over on the mound in the eighth and pitched a shutout frame and got the first out of the ninth. Junior RHP Nolan Gromacki (Smithville, Mo.) then got the final two outs.

Mizzou will be back in action this weekend as it heads to Vanderbilt for a three-game series.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Missouri Western student-athletes honored at annual awards night

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH – The on-field and off-field accomplishments of Missouri Western student-athletes were recognized Monday night during the 18th Annual MWSU/St. Joseph News-Press Student-Athlete Awards Night.

The crowning achievements of the night were awarded to Travis Anderson (football) as the Male Student-Athlete of the Year and Shi Qing Ong (women’s golf) as the Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Anderson and Ong were selected from a pool of 11 nominees, one from each MWSU sport as well as the Griffon Cheer Squad.

All awards were given during an awards show at Potter Theatre with senior recognitions and a dinner held afterward in the Fulkerson Center on the Missouri Western campus. Below is a full list of all awards given Monday night.

Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Shi Qing Ong (women’s golf)

Male Student-Athlete of the Year: Travis Anderson (football)

James J. McMillen Scholar-Athlete Award: Kelsey Olion (volleyball)

Tom Smith Career Achievement Award: Travis Anderson (football), Chelsea Dewey (women’s basketball), David Glaude (baseball), Katie Klosterman (softball), Morgan Rathmann (softball)

Award of Valor: Kendall Short (football)

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Choice Awards: Newcomer of the Year (Cassidy Menke-women’s soccer), Team of the Year (2016 women’s golf), Intriguing Moment of the Year (2016 women’s golf team clinching spot in national championships)

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Volunteers of the Year: Danielle Moore (volleyball) and Bridget Blessie (women’s soccer)

Baseball Student-Athlete of the Year: Richard “Richie” Peoples

Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year: Cole Clearman

Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year: Chelsea Dewey

Cheer Squad Student-Athlete of the Year: Rachel Allen

Football Student-Athlete of the Year: Travis Anderson

Men’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Year: Patrick McCarthy

Women’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Year: Shi Qing Ong

Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year: Bailey Dervin

Softball Student-Athlete of the Year: Morgan Rathmann

Tennis Student-Athlete of the Year: Sofia Aguilera-Tovar

Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Year: Kelsey Olion

— MWSU Athletics —

Griffon women’s golf qualifies for second straight NCAA Tournament

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH – Last year was the first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional for the Missouri Western women’s golf team, and on Monday the Griffons found out they earned their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Western was one of 12 teams to qualify this year’s event which will be played at Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota May 8-10.

All teams along with the six individual qualifiers, will play 54 holes of golf. The top three finishing teams along with the top-three individuals not with a team in the field, will advance to the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in Findlay, Ohio.

Last spring, the Griffons won a playoff to finish third in the regional and advance to the national championships.

— Northwest Athletics —

Bearcat tennis to play Barry in NCAA Championship Tournament

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Northwest2013riggertMARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University men’s tennis team will face Barry University in the first round of the NCAA Championship Tournament on Tuesday, May 9. The match will start at 11 a.m. CST, at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The Bearcats enter the round of 16 matchup as the ITA’s No. 19 ranked team in the nation with an 18-3 record. Northwest defeated Nebraska-Kearney in the Central Regional, 5-4, on Sunday, April 30. This is the fifth-straight appearance for the Bearcats in the NCAA Championships Tournament and the ninth all-time. Northwest has never faced Barry University.

The Barry Buccaneers are the ITA’s No. 2 ranked team in the country with a 23-1 overall record. Barry beat Valdosta State, 5-1, in the South Regional Championship.

— Northwest Athletics —

Northwest tennis wins NCAA Tournament opener against Nebraska-Kearney

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Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State University men’s tennis team advanced to the NCAA Championship Tournament with a 5-4 victory over Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday.

– Due to weather, the match was played at the Montgomery County YMCA in Red Oak, Iowa.

– The win moves the No. 19 ranked Bearcats to 18-3 overall while No. 44 Nebraska-Kearney ends the season at 11-10.

– This marks the ninth time in Northwest history the team had advanced to the NCAA Championship Tournament and the fifth straight appearance for the Bearcats.

– Northwest got off to a strong start, winning at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take a 2-1 lead into singles play.

– UNK tied the match with a win at No. 3 singles but Northwest battled back with a victory at No. 2 from Sergi Fontcuberta and at No. 5 from Aymeric Autones.

– The three other singles matches all went three sets. No. 1 Romain Boissinot fell in a tough tiebreaker to make it 4-3 Northwest.

– The Lopers picked up another point at No. 5 singles to tie the match, 4-4.

– Fin Glowick had a crucial break in the third set of the No. 6 singles match and broke serve to claim match-winning set.

Scores
1. #46 Wakim,Georges (UNK) def. #34 Boissinot,Romain (NW) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5-5)
2. #35 Fontcuberta,Sergi (NW) def. Balado,Pepe (UNK) 6-4, 6-3
3. El Zanaty,Mohab (UNK) def. Tete,Mauro (NW) 6-4, 6-0
4. Arias,Alvaro (UNK) def. Altmann,Josef (NW) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
5. Autones,Aymeric (NW) def. Richards,Joey (UNK) 6-0, 6-1
6. Glowick,Fin (NW) def. Nguyen,Justin (UNK) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Garces,Lucas/El Zanaty,Mohab (UNK) def. Tete,Mauro/Sherif,Youssef (NW) 8-5
2. Boissinot,Romain/Fontcuberta,Sergi (NW) def. Nguyen,Justin/Wakim,Georges (UNK) 8-5
3. Altmann,Josef/Autones,Aymeric (NW) def. Richards,Joey/Balado,Pepe (UNK) 8-4

Match Notes
Nebraska-Kearney 11-10; National ranking #44; Regional ranking #6

Northwest Missouri 18-3; National ranking #19; Regional ranking #1

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,2,5,1,4,6)

Up Next
– Northwest will now await seeding the the NCAA Championship Tournament at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla., starting on May 9.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri loses final game of series to Texas A&M

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riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball dropped the final contest of a weekend series with Texas A&M, 7-2, Sunday afternoon at Taylor Stadium. Junior starter Bryce Montes De Oca (Lawrence, Kan.) pitched an absolute gem as he worked 6.2 innings and struck out nine while allowing only one run on two hits. His impressive start was the longest of his career and he set career-bests in strikeouts, hits allowed and runs allowed. Montes De Oca’s nine punch-outs were the most by a Mizzou pitcher in conference play this season.

Montes De Oca took the loss despite pitching brilliantly, falling to 3-4 on the year. A&M starter Stephen Kolek earned his third win of the year. Mizzou falls to 27-18 and 8-12 in SEC play while Texas A&M goes to 32-13 and 13-8 in SEC play. Junior INF Robbie Glendinning (Scarborough, Australia) hit his fifth homer of the year in the loss, a two-run shot in the ninth.

Montes De Oca worked efficiently early as he worked an 11-pitch, 1-2-3, first inning. In the top of the third, he pitched around a runner on second with only one out. He sat down A&M’s Walker Pennington on strikes and then induced a groundball to third to escape the threat. Montes De Oca allowed the first Aggie hit with one out in the fourth.

After A&M notched the game’s first run in its half of the fifth on an RBI groundout, Montes De Oca worked another scoreless inning in the sixth as he tallied his sixth and seventh strikeouts, surpassing his career-high. He recorded two more punch-outs in the seventh before being relieved by freshman lefty T.J. Sikkema (DeWitt, Iowa), who threw one pitch to get an out and get Mizzou through the seventh.

Mizzou’s offense found life in the bottom half of the seventh when senior OF Kirby McGuire (Round Rock, Texas) recorded Mizzou’s first hit. McGuire’s single was his fifth of the weekend, a team-high. Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) then reached on a hit by pitch but Mizzou did not scratch across a run, stranding McGuire and Harris. Following the inning the game went into a rain delay that lasted for 1:15.

Mizzou loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but McGuire struck out swinging to strand three runners. A&M then broke the game open with six runs off three Mizzou pitchers in the top of the ninth inning. Glendinnng hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to 7-2.

Mizzou will be back in action Tuesday vs. Murray State at 6 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Rain washes out Sunday’s finale for Northwest baseball at Emporia State

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Northwest2013riggertEMPORIA, Kan. – Sunday’s Northwest Missouri State University baseball game against Emporia State has been cancelled due to weather. The game will not be made up.

The Bearcats will play at William Jewell on Tuesday, May 2, at 3:30 p.m. in Liberty, Mo. Northwest will then return home on Friday, May 5, for a three-game series to conclude the regular season with Fort Hays State. Saturday will be Senior Day for Northwest.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri Western softball goes 1-1 on day one of MIAA Tournament

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riggertMissouriWesternOKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Fifth-seeded Missouri Western softball team went 1-1 on the opening day of the MIAA Softball Championships to advance to Friday’s round of games.

The Griffons avenged two losses at Missouri Southern earlier this season with a 4-2 win over the fourth-seeded Lions in their first round game. In round two, it was top-seeded Central Oklahoma’s turn for revenge as the Bonchos held MWSU to three hits in a 10-1 win over the Griffons.

Morgan Rathmann opened her final MIAA tournament with another broken record. The senior broke the MIAA career triples record by leading off the Missouri Southern game with the 32nd triple of her career. Rathmann went 4 for 4 in the game to tie the MWSU career hits record (263), but was held hitless in the Central Oklahoma game.

The Griffons had just one hit through the first six innings against UCO, a misplayed pop-fly to left that turned into a double for Sydney Washington in the second. They added two more hits and their only run of the game in the seventh.

Missouri Western will face seventh-seeded Southwest Baptist on Friday at 10 a.m. Southwest Baptist lost its opener, 1-0 in 14 innings to second-seeded Pittsburg State before eliminating third-seeded Central Missouri, Thursday night.

The three seed (UCM) and four seed (Missouri Southern) were eliminated from the tournament Thursday. Second-seeded Pittsburg State already has one loss.

Friday’s games can be heard on ESPN 1550 in St. Joseph or streamed live, here. All Missouri Western games Friday will also have live video streaming available at this link.

— MWSU Athletics —

Griffons score fourth in the eighth inning to rally past Central Missouri

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western baseball team (26-18, 23-11) scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Central Missouri (30-13, 21-10) 4-3 Thursday night at the Griffon Spring Sports Complex.

Jeremy Alvarado’s two-out double down the left field line scored three runs in the eighth inning to give Missouri Western the 4-3 lead.

NOTABLES
– Logan Marston’s eighth inning fielder’s choice scored David Glaude to start the MWSU rally

– Zach Cross struck out all three Central Missouri outs in the ninth inning

– Levi Schreiner broke up the Mule’s Zach Girrens no-hit bid in the sixth inning with a two-out single to left field

– Dusty Stroup singled the next at-bat for the Griffons to extend his hitting streak to 12 games

– Missouri Western has now won 11 of its last 13 games

– Both teams were ranked in the latest NCAA Central Regional poll released on April 26, as UCM was third and MWSU was eighth

TOP PERFORMERS
– Dustin Agnew threw 7 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits

– Zach Cross tossed 1 1/3 relief innings as he gave up no runs with four strikeouts

– Jeremy Alvarado was 1-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs

– Zach Girrens went seven innings with no runs on two hits and five strikeouts for the Mules

UP NEXT
Missouri Western and Central Missouri will play a doubleheader Friday 2 p.m. Senior day activities are planned to begin at approximately 1:30 p.m. for the Griffons’ 10 seniors. All times are subject to change with impending weather. Missouri Western Athletics social media platforms and gogriffons.com will have schedule changes as soon they are available.

— MWSU Athletics —

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