The #5 Missouri Western baseball team wrapped up the regular season with a split of a twin bill played against the Missouri Southern Lions Sunday. The Griffons fell in a back-and-forth extra inning battle in game on 9-8 before getting a complete game from Ethan Ward in a 8-4 victory. The Griffons end the regular season 35-8 overall and 28-5 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MSSU 8, MWSU 7 (9 innings)

Despite getting 12 hits Missouri Western squandered two late inning leads in game one losing 8-7 in nine innings. For the first time this season the Griffons did not win a game that Brandon Simmons pitched. Simmons got a no decision going five innings. He gave up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out four. He leff the game with a 5-3 lead.

The Lions took the early lead when Thomas Wilson scored on a Nick Doughty double in the second inning.
Things looked good for the Griffons the next three innings scoring five runs claiming a 5-1 lead after five.

In third Jake Schrader doubled to left field and later scored on a Michael Schulze single tying the score at one. In the fourth Nate Ramler led off with a homer to right field giving MWSU the 3-1 lead after four.

In the fifth Jake Schrader reached on an error and then a double by Shawn Egge and a two RBI single to center field by Michael Schulze gave MWSU a 4-1 lead. Grant Fink then got hit by a pitch with the bases loades scoring Schulze giving the Griffons a 5-1 lead.

The responded in their half o fthe sixth with two outs. Tee Helsel got a two RBI single cutting the Griffons lead to 5-3. In the sixth the Lions got a run off releiver Jared Hawkins adn then in the 7th with two outs Doughty doubled in the tying run off Logan Hollingsworth.

Things looked good for the Griffons in the 8th as they scored two runs. they got a run off a bases loaded walk and another run off a fielder choice by Ramler giving the Griffons a 7-5 lead.

Unfortunatly once again the Lions responded scoring two runs off four hits tying the score at seven in after eight. The Griffons stranded a leadoff single in the eighth, but the Lions were able to get three hits off Mark Spreckels getting the extra inning victory.

Schulze and Schrader each had three hits in the contest while Schulze had three RBI and two runs scored. Spreckels got the loss going 2/3 of an inning givng up two hist and one earned run. He falls to 2-2 with the loss.

The Lions had 18 hits off the Griffons with leadoff hitter Michael McCoy going 4-for-6 with a run scored. Doughty went 3-for-5 with two RBI while Helsel went 2-for-5 with three RBI.

The Lions used five pitchers in the game. Starter Brett Abell went 6.1 innings giving up 10 hits and four earned runs while striking out 10. Ryan Bates got the victroy going 1.2 innings. He improves to 6-1 with the victory.

Game 2
MWSU 8, MSSU 4

In game two, Missouri Western got a complete game from Ethan Ward as he scattered 11 Missouri Southern hits  while striking out four and walking just one. He improves to 3-3 with the victory.

The Griffons jumped out to a 5-1 lead after scoring four runs in the first inning. That would be all the Griffons would need to get the victory. They had 10 hits in the game which included two home runs.

Grant Fink hit is 13th homer of the season while Shawn Egge smacked his fourth. Bubba Dotson, Fink and Egge all had two hits with a combinded five run scored and three RBI.

The Lions fall to 29-18 on the season and 23-16 in MIAA play. They had 11 hits with Doughty going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Sam Ryan went 2-for-4 with a two run homer while three other Lions had two hits in the contest.

Ryan Bates falls to 6-2 on the season as he went just 1/3 of an inning giving up two hits and four earned runs. David Reese went 4.2 innings giving up five hist and two earned runs.

The Griffons will open up the first round of the MIAA Tournament with a three game series against the 8th seed in the MIAA (which is still to be determined). The first game will be on Thursday, May 2 at 6:00 pm at the Griffon Baseball Field.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western softball team hit three home runs in the doubleheader but came up on the short end of two one run games against #21 Central Oklahoma. The Griffons fell 3-2 and 5-4 and now sit at 34-14 overall and 18-8 in MIAA play.

Game 1
#21 UCO 3, MWSU 2

Despite out hitting the high powered Bronchos eight to seven, Western fell 3-2 in game one against UCO. The Griffons left seven runners on base which included two in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh.

The Griffons struck first in the top of the first when Bre Fleschner doubled and scored on a single to left center by Keri Lorbert.

The Bronchos tied it up in their half of the first when Nicole Workman single in Kaylee Brunson. Missouri Western pitcher Jackie Bishop was able to strand the bases loaded in the first.

In the third Kacie Edwards double to right center and pinch runner Hanna Justus scored on a fielding error by Maegan Roemmich in center field giving the Bronchos a 2-1 lead after three. Bishop once again stranded the bases loaded.

In the fourth, Western tied it up when Kendall Sorensen homered to left field. Once again Edwards killed the Griffons when she homered to right field giving UCO the 3-2 lead. That would be all the Bronchos would need as the Griffons stranded five runners the rest of the way.

Sarah Elliott and Fleschner each had two hit in the contest while Bishop falls to 19-6 overall going six innings. She gave up seven hits, three earned runs with three strikeouts.

Workman and Edwards each had two hits while Kalynn Schrock went all seven innings giving up eight hits with seven strikeouts. She improves to 21-4 with the victory.

Game 2
#21 UCO 5, MWSU 4

In game two, Missouri Western gave up two runs dropping the game 5-4. Janie Smith pitched a good game going six innings. She gave up six hits and four earned runs. She falls to 15-6 with the loss.

Smith got in trouble in the second inning when she walked the first two Bronchos leading off the inning. UCO scored two runs in the inning taking a 2-0 lead.

The Griffons did not have a hit until the fourth inning when Lorbert hit a single and Michelle Stevenson blasted a homer tying the score at two.

The score remained that way until the fifth when Edwards struck again giving UCO a 3-2 lead.

In the 7th Lorbert got on by an error by the third baseman, but pinch runner Sam Elliott got thrown out trying to steal. Another error by the Bronchos allowed Michelle Stevenson to get on and reach second by a wild pitch. Kendall Sorenson then struck out and Tiffany Gillaspy homered over center field giving MWSU a 4-3 lead heading to the bottom of the 7th.

In the bottom of the seventh a lead off walk and a single and throwing error put Bronchos on second and third with no one out. Sam Cool pinch hit for Kaylee Brunson and got the hit to right center giving UCO the victory.

UCO improves to 37-9 overall and 21-3 in MIAA play with the victory. Schrock improves to 22-4 going all seven innings. She gave up three hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts.

UCO had nine hits with Ally Dziadula and Edwardsd each getting two.

Stevenson and Gillaspy both had two run homers in the game. Stevenson scored two runs.

Western wraps up the regular season on Sunday, April 28 with a doubleheader against Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. Game time is set for 12:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western senior golfer Natalie Bird has been named to the All-MIAA Second Team which announced by the league office on Friday (April 26) afternoon.

This past season Bird played in 10 events finishing with a stroke average of 80.9. She finished in the top five in three events and top ten in six events. She took first place at the Nebraska-Kearney Fall Classic back in September where she shot a 72 which was her lowest round of the season.

She finished in a tie for 7th at the MIAA Championships this past week shooting a 78. Individually, she looks to be in great position to be the first Griffon Women’s Golfer to qualify for the NCAA Tournament as she is currently ranked second individually in Super Region 3.

The NCAA Regional Tournament is set for May 5-7 at the St. Joseph Country Club in St. Joseph, Mo. The top nine teams and the top four individuals that are not on the top nine teams make the regional.

First Team All-MIAA

Aly Seng, Central Oklahoma *GOLFER OF THE YEAR*
Erica Bensch, Central Oklahoma
Cassie Lowell, Northwest Missouri
Kelsey Kirkpatrick, Northeastern State
Taylor Neidy, Central Oklahoma

Second Team All-MIAA

McCandren Lewis, Northeastern State *FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR*
Alex Koch, Northeastern State
Natalie Bird, Missouri Western
Katie Bensch, Central Oklahoma
Whitney McAteer, Northeastern State

MIAA Coach of the Year: Michael Bond, Central Oklahoma

— MWSU Sports Information —