MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team suffered its worst loss of the season in what proved to be the team’s final game of 2016, 13-5 to Southern Arkansas in five innings. The Central Region 2 Tournament championship game loss ended the Griffons’ season at 45-13, the third most wins in program history.

Southern Arkansas took a 10-0 lead after three innings, but Missouri Western cut the lead in half over the next two innings. A a three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the fifth was the dagger that ended the Griffons’ season.

HOW THEY SCORED
1st Inning
Brooke Goad hit a two-run home run to right center: 2-0 SAU
Ashton Atwell drove in one with a single to right: 3-0 SAU
Tyler Casada drove in one with a double to right center: 4-0 SAU
Summer Ehrig hit a two-RBI single to right center: 6-0 SAU (all charged to Janie Smith)

2nd Inning
Atwell RBI single down the left field line: 7-0 SAU

3rd Inning
Goad single to center drove in two: 9-0 SAU
Maddie Dow singled to center, one RBI: 10-0 SAU

4th Inning
Shlebie Atwell doubled and advanced to third on a throwing error, Morgan Rathmann scored: 10-1 SAU
Paige Shifflett drove in Atwell with a bloop single to right: 10-2 SAU
Kailey Green hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Shifflett: 10-3 SAU

5th Inning
Shifflett singled to left to drive in Rebekah Mueller and Megan Korgie: 10-5 SAU
Dow hit three-run home run to left: 13-5 SAU

IN THE BOX SCORE
– Shifflett went 2-3 at the plate with three RBIs and a run scored.

– Taylor Hamilton had her first multi-hit game of the regional, going 2-3

– Shelbie Atwell and Green had the other two RBIs for Missouri Western

– The Griffons totaled five hits, all coming in the fourth and fifth innings. Southern Arkansas had allowed three combined hits in its two previous regional games

– Janie Smith took the loss (24-10), allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits in one inning

– Saladino pitched the rest of the game, giving up eight hits and seven runs, six of them earned

NOTABLES
– Griffons finish with third most wins in program history

– Team’s 23 conference wins were most in program history and tied for most ever by an MIAA team

– Two regional wins and sub-regional championship appearance for second time in program history

– First run-rule loss for Griffons all season

– Southern Arkansas one of three teams to beat Missouri Western twice this season (Augustana and Northwest Missouri)

– Last game for seniors Janie Smith, Shyanne Saladino and Emilie Laliberte

— MWSU Athletics —

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team (45-12) kept its season alive with the team’s fifth win over Central Oklahoma this season, 9-0 in an elimination game Friday at the NCAA Central Region 2 Tournament.

The win sets up a rematch between the Griffons and Southern Arkansas in the Region 2 Tournament Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m. Missouri Western will have to defeat Southern Arkansas twice to advance to the Central Super Regional May 11 and 12.

HOW THEY SCORED
2nd inning
Sydney Washington doubled to drive in Kailey Green – 1-0 MWSU
Megan Korgie hit the team’s second straight double to score Washington – 2-0 MWSU
3rd inning
Katie Klosterman hit an RBI single through the left side to score Paige Shifflett – 3-0 MWSU
Washington hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Green – 4-0 MWSU
4th inning
Rebekah Mueller scored on a double-steal attempt; Shelbe Atwell thrown out a second – 5-0 MWSU
7th inning
Taylor Hamilton hit her 11th home run of the season on the first pitch of the inning – 6-0 MWSU
Mueller drew a bases loaded walk that scored Klosterman – 7-0 MWSU
Morgan Rathmann’s single up the middle drove in Korgie and Washington – 9-0 MWSU

IN THE BOX SCORE
The Griffons had 13 hits and took advantage of two Central Oklahoma errors, committing two themselves.
Rathmann was 2-3 with two RBIs. Washintgon was 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Klosterman was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Janie Smith moved to 24-9 on the season, pitching seven innings and allowing six hits, walking four and striking out three. She stranded 12 base runners for UCO.

NOTABLES
– First time the Griffons have won two games in a regional since 2009

– First sub-regional championship appearance for the Griffons since 2009

– Smith shutout UCO for the second time in a week; two of four shutouts the team suffered this season

– Smith pitched her 10th shutout of the season; tied for second most in a season at MWSU

– Missouri Western held a team without an extra base hit for the second time in this regional (Minnesota Duluth)

– The two home runs Southern Arkansas hit in the sixth inning, Friday, were the only extra base hits Griffon pitchers have surrendered this regional

– UCO was 2-12 with runners in scoring position; MWSU was 6-15

– Only the second time MWSU has eliminated an MIAA team from a regional (UCM in 2009)

UP NEXT
Missouri Western faces elimination once again, Saturday at 1 p.m vs. Southern Arkansas. The Griffons were defeated 6-0 by Southern Arkansas, earlier Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western Baseball picked up a 9-1 victory over Lincoln on Friday evening.

The Griffons jumped on the board early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. MWSU used two errors by the Lincoln defense. Jeremy Alvarado and Orencio Fisher both picked up RBIs in the inning.

Missouri Western added another run in the bottom of the second inning. The Griffons put together three consecutive hits in the third inning, producing two more runs. MWSU took a 5-0 lead into the top of the fourth inning.

The Blue Tigers first run came in the top of the sixth inning. Mason Price doubled to right center field, bringing home Dillon Walker.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Missouri Western added four insurance runs. The Griffons were able to get the first three batters on base. Fisher picked up an RBI and David Glaude drove in two RBIs with a double to left center field. Nick Gawley drove in the final run with a sac fly RBI to center field.

Fisher, Kody Matthews, and Brandon Downs all picked up two hits for the Griffons. Fisher scored twice and added two RBIs.

Missouri Western received a quality start from senior Weston Caindec. He went seven innings, facing 26 batters and allowed just one run on four hits while striking out seven batters. Chris Estrada pitched an inning, striking out all three batters.

The Griffons and Blue Tigers will play the final regular season game at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.

— MWSU Athletics —

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team relied on smart base running, and took advantage of some Minnesota Duluth defensive miscues, on the way to its first win in the opening game of an NCAA regional since 2005, 5-2.

After Minnesota Duluth scored one in the first, the Griffons answered with two in the bottom half and never trailed again. Missouri Western will await the winner of second seeded Southern Arkansas and seventh seeded Central Oklahoma. That game will be played at 1 p.m. on Friday.

HOW THEY SCORED
Morgan Rathmann led off the game with a single, then got to third on a sacrifice bunt by Shelbie Atwell and a throwing error by the second baseman. She scored on a wild pitch: 1-1, bot1
Katie Klsoterman singled through the left side to drive in Taylor Hamilton from third: 2-1, bot1
Megan Korgie scored on a sacrifice foul out by Paige Shiflett: 3-1 bot2
Korgie stole second on a double steal that also got Rathmann to second: 4-1 bot4
Rathmann scored from second on a throwing error by the centerfielder after Atwell flew out to center: 5-1 bot4

IN THE BOX SCORE
Rathmann reached three times, finishing 2-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Katie Klosterman went 2-3 at the plate with an RBI. Megan Korgie was 2-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Janie Smith pitched all seven innings and moved to 23-8 on the season, allowing seven hits and two earned runs. Despite, three Minnesota Duluth errors, all but one Missouri Western run were earned. The Griffons stranded nine runners on base, Minnesota Duluth left seven.

NOTABLES
It was the first opening round win in an NCAA regional for the program since its first regional appearance in 2005, seven straight opening round losses.
It was also the team’s first regional win since the second game of the 2014 regional, 5-0 vs. Southern Arkansas.
Morgan Rathmann picked up her 76th career stolen base and now needs just seven more to break the all-time record at Missouri Western held by Mandie Nocita (Berneking).
The win extended a season-long winning streak for Missouri Western to 10 games.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western will face the winner of Southern Arkansas vs. Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. on Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western Baseball snapped its four-game losing streak with a 6-2 victory over Lincoln on Thursday evening.

The Griffons produced 12 hits and scored in five of their eight innings at the plate. Missouri Western scored its first run when David Glaude homered down the right field line.

MWSU scored one run in the bottom of the second and fourth inning, moving their lead to 3-1. Lincoln answered with a run in the bottom on the sixth inning when Laban Petzoldt tripled to right field, scoring Mike Million from second base.

Missouri Western extended their lead with two runs in the seventh inning. Kody Matthews and Jeremy Alvarado both picked up RBIs in the inning, giving the Griffons a 5-2 lead

The final run of the game came on a Glaude double to left field, scoring Orencio Fisher from first base.

Glaude finished the game going 4-for-4, tallying three RBIs and scoring two runs in the game. Matthews and Landon Mason were the only other Griffons with multiple hits in the game. Fisher contributed with two runs and an RBI.

Richard Peoples pitched all nine innings, moving his record to 9-3 on the year. He allowed just seven hits and struck out seven batters.

Missouri Western and Lincoln will face off tomorrow at 7 p.m. The Griffon athletic department will honor the seniors prior to first pitch Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —

AXTELL, NE. – Missouri Western Women’s Golf earned its first ever spot in NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship, finishing third in the Central Regional with a team score of 899 in three rounds of golf. It’s just the fourth time in Missouri Western history a team has advanced to the NCAA national finals. The event was played at Awarii Dunes Golf Course which is a par 72, 6,200 yard course.

Tiffanie Yabut was able to sink a 10-foot putt on the 18th green to force a team playoff against Arkansas Tech to determine the final spot in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships. It took three playoff holes to eventually declare a winner with the Griffons coming out on top. Madison Romjue hit a four-foot putt to seal the deal for the Griffons.

The Griffons finished with three top-10 golfers in the event. Tiffanie Yabut finished tied for sixth individually, recording a 221 in her three rounds of golf. Freshman Shi Qing Ong scored a 222 and finished ninth overall in the tournament. Celine Lim tied for 10th at the Central Regional with a 223.  Madison Romjue scored a 234, finishing tied for 39th. Callie Wilson reported a 240 in the three rounds of golf, tying her for 53rd place in the standings.

The tournament featured a record breaking round of 295 in round two for the Griffons and two individual posting career-low rounds. Lim tallied a 71 in round one and Yabut finished with a 71 in round two.

Augustana University finished the tournament with a team score of 881 through the three rounds while Northeastern State completed the tournament with an 882 score.

Individually, Kali Trautman of Augustana and Kayla Schroeder of Northeastern State tied for the title with a 217 in the tournament. The top three individuals advancing to the NCAA Championships Daniela Martinez of Central Oklahoma, Caroline Fredensborg of Arkansas Tech and Rachel Gray of Concordia-St. Paul.

The NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship will be held May 18-21 at the Common Ground Golf Course in Aurora, Colo. as a part of the 2016 NCAA Division II Championships Festival. The top three teams and top three individuals not with a team from each super regional will make up championship field.

— MWSU Athletics —