HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team (28-11, 20-8) did what it’s been doing and did what it hasn’t done in a doubleheader sweep at Fort Hays State on Friday. The two wins pushed Missouri Western into second place in the MIAA standings and gave the team a seven-game winning streak. The team also improved to 21-3 on the road.

Game 1: MWSU 13, Fort Hays State 2 (8 innings)

Five runs in the top of the eighth inning for the Griffons gave the team a run-rule win in the first of the twin-bill.

David Glaude started the five-run eighth with a two-RBI double, his second double of the game. Kody Matthews picked up two RBIs in the eighth with his record-tying fifth hit of the game. Matthews is one of a handful of Griffons to record five hits in a game, though no one has ever done more. He was 5-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored in the game. Cosimo Cannella went 3-5 with a pair of RBIs. Brandon Downs drove in four going 1-3 at the plate. His one hit was his sixth home run in his last five games.

Richard Peoples moved to 7-3 with the win. He went seven innings and held Fort Hays to the two runs on 10 hits.

Game 2: MWSU 2, Fort Hays State 1

For the first time in 2016, the team won a game without scoring four or more runs. Nick Gawley’s RBI single in the sixth proved to be the game winner and broke a 1-1 tie. Gawley’s two-out single up the middle scored Orenco Fisher.

The one-run lead was enough for Evan Jones and Preston Baiely, who combined to give the Griffons another solid pitching performance. Jones moved to 5-1 on the year allowing just three hits in seven innings of work. He struck out three and walked one. Bailey earned his third save of the year and also struck out the three and allowed one hit in two innings.

Missouri Western now returns home for four-straight beginning Tuesday night when Northwest Missouri State visits for a 7 p.m. first pitch.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH. – After delivering the program’s first conference championship in 14 years, Missouri Western Women’s Basketball head coach Rob Edmisson wasted no time adding to the cupboard for next season.

Edmisson announced the signing of Erin Anderson to a national letter of intent. Anderson is fresh off an NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kansas City Kansas Community College. The 5-7 guard led the Blue Devils, averaging 15.5 points per game. She also averaged 5.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. She also shot 39.2 percent from three-point range and was a first team All-Jayhawk and All-Region VI selection. Anderson was also named to the NJCAA All-Tournament team.

“We are excited to add a player like Erin to our Missouri Western family,” Edmisson said. “Her competitive spirit and skill set will make an instant impact. Playing on a national championship team sets her apart from a lot of players.”

Anderson graduated from Edwardsville High School in suburban St. Louis.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The No. 15 Griffon Softball team turned to theatrics once again, splitting a non-conference doubleheader with Northwest Missouri State. The Griffons rallied in the seventh inning of both games, coming up short in game one, but tying game two before an extra-inning victory.

Game 1: Northwest Missouri 3, #15 MWSU 2

Missouri Western tried to mount another seventh inning rally against the Bearcats, but came up just short with the tying run at first base.

Down 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, Taylor Hamilton led off with a double up the middle. Shelby Uhl scored, running for Hamilton, two batters later on Katie Klosterman’s one-out double to left center. Sydney Washington got Klosterman to third with a fly ball to center that went all the way to the warning track. Megan Korgie singled down the right field line to drive in Klosterman, but Rebekah Mueller popped up to the shortstop to the game.

The Griffons’ three hits in the inning gave them five for the game. Kendle Schieber held Missouri Western to two hits through the first six innings. All the Northwest Missouri State runs came via Alexix Kelsey home runs. She hit two for the Bearcats, a two-run shot to right in the first and a solo homer to left in the fourth. Other than Kelsey’s two long balls, the Bearcats were limited to two hits off Janie Smith.

Game 2: #15 MWSU 4, Northwest Missouri 3 (8 innings)

Down 3-1 headed to the bottom of the seventh, Katie Klosterman started what had to feel like Déjà vu for the Bearcats. The junior led off the inning with a home run to right center that Sydney Washington followed with a home run down the left field line to tie the game. Missouri Western stranded a runner on second.

Taylor Hamilton then did it again, earning her third walk-off hit of the season with a double to right center that scored Paige Shifflett who singled to lead off the eighth. Riley Wilson got Shifflett to second with a pinch-hit sacrifice bunt.

The Griffons were able to overcome four errors in the game and just three hits through the first six innings. Hamilton went 3-4 in the game and Washington was 2-3. Shyanne Saladino picked up the win that moved Missouri Western to 35-11 overall.

Missouri Western now hits the road to end the season with doubleheaders at Washburn and Emporia State on April 22 and 23.

— MWSU Athletics —

HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western baseball team (26-11, 18-8) continued an impressive string of high run totals in a 16-7 win in the first of three games at Fort Hays State (17-20, 11-15).

The Griffons had three, four-run innings and four, one-run innings to open the series with Fort Hays. Missouri Western has scored 78 total runs in its last five games, averaging 15.6 in that span, and 9.24 now on the season.

Two of the Griffons’ hottest hitters drove in the first four runs. David Glaude, the reigning MIAA Hitter of the Week, picked up an RBI on a ground out in the first. Brandon Downs made it 2-0, Griffs, in the second with an RBI single. Then Glaude drove in two more to begin a four-run third with a double down the left field line. Glaude finished the game 3-4 with six RBIs and a run scored. It was Glaude’s third-straight three-hit game and his fourth in the last five games. He’s went 14-23 with 16 RBIs in his last six games.

Orencio Fisher was 4-5 in the game with two RBIs and three runs scored. Downs was 2-4 with three RBIs, including his fifth home run in the last three games. Downs’ home run also raised the team’s season total to 55, nine short of the season record set in 2013. Nick Gawley went 2-5 with two RBIs and Cosimo Cannella was 2-5 with an RBI. Landon Mason extended his hitting streak to 19 games, going 1-2 at the plate.

Weston Caindec moved to 4-1 on the season with the win. He went seven and a third, giving up five runs, just two of them earned, on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western head volleyball coach Marian Carbin has announced the addition of three student-athletes for the 2016 season.

Stephanie Doak, Erin Erb and Lauren Murphy have signed national letters of intent to play volleyball at Missouri Western. The three spring signees bring the total to four necomers for the 2016 season. Tiana Butler signed her letter of intent in November.

“This class is so dynamic. We are excited about the versatility of the hitters in this class and the high level of club volleyball experience that each of them brings to the table,” Carbin said. “They have played for some of the most elite club programs across the country; from Sports Performance and Sky High in Chicago, to Triangle and Wave in North Carolina and California respectively.”

“They have definitely played against the best of the best, which makes them more than prepared for what they will see on a nightly basis in our league and in our region. We are very eager to see what the future holds for these four young ladies now that they are officially members of the Griffon Volleyball family.”

Doak will come to Missouri Western from Encinitas, California. The 6-1 right side hitter played at Audeo Charter High School.

“Stephanie is a tall, physical player on the right side who can also take swings from the middle or outside if necessary,” Carbin said. “She says her favorite part of the game is blocking the other team’s best outside hitters and we are excited to watch her do just that for the next four years.”

Erb comes to MWSU from Huntley, Illinois, where she played at Huntley High School. The 6-0 outside hitter totaled 825 kills, 182 blocks, 317 digs and 147 service aces.

“Erin is a strong, powerful outside hitter from the Chicago area,” Carbin said. “She hits a very heavy ball from the outside, and she’s a strong force as a blocker.”

Murphy also comes to Missouri Western from Illinois. The 5-9 setter prepped at Plainfield North High School in Plainfield.

“Lauren is a well-trained setter with a smooth style of play that makes the game look easy,” Carbin said. “She is a technically sound player and has an advanced understanding of offenses and how to bring out the best in her hitters.”

The 2015 team went 21-10 overall and 12-6 in MIAA play. Carbin has led a resurgence, winning more than 20 matches the last two seasons and going a combined 59-33 in her first three seasons as the head coach at her alma mater. The Griffons will begin the 2016 season on Sept. 2 at the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kansas. Missouri Western will play University of Mary, Drury, Quincy and Midwestern State that weekend.

— MWSU Athletics —

The Missouri Western softball team is fourth in the first Central Region ranking that was released by the NCAA on Wednesday.

The 15th-ranked Griffons are the only MIAA team that is ranked as they are 34-10 and atop the MIAA at 19-3.  Despite what they’ve done in league play, MWSU is behind another league opponent in the regional rankings.  Northwest Missouri State is third as they are 33-9 overall and 17-5 in the MIAA.

Arkansas Tech (38-5) in No. 1 in the Central Region right now, followed by Southern Arkansas (33-6), Northwest and Missouri Western.

The top eight team qualify for the NCAA Tournament as the top two seeds will host two four-team regional tournaments.

Minnesota State (30-11) is fifth in the regional rankings, followed by Central Oklahoma (30-14), Pittsburg State (33-14) and Augustana (28-11).

Missouri Western is back in action Thursday as they host Northwest Missouri State for two non-league games begining at 4:00 p.m.  The games won’t count in the MIAA race, but are very big in the regional rankings.

Both games will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM or you can click here to listen.