Based on their outstanding play this season two Missouri Western baseball players (Spencer Shockley & Brandon Simmons) have been added to the 2013 Tino Martinez Award Watch List.

The list includes 152 top amateur athletes from across the nation. The award is presented to the most outstanding player in DII college baseball. The annual honor is named after the former University of Tampa Spartan, United States Olympian, first round draft pick and MLB All-Star, Tino Martinez.

Shockley is a senior first baseman who is hitting .328 on the season and is leading the Griffons with 14 doubles. He broke the MWSU career record for doubles earlier this season and now has 44 in his three years at MWSU. Shockley is also a solid defender making just one error on the season. He has 252 putouts, 11 assists and a .996 fielding percentage. Shockley has walked 13 times and struck out just eight in his 119 at bats.

Simmons is a senior pitcher from Kansas City, Kan. Simmons holds a perfect 8-0 record on the season with a 2.98 ERA. Simmons has thrown two complete games in 45.1 innings of work. He has given up just 15 earned runs whlie striking out 30 and walking just eight. In his career he has a school record with 32 victories and also set the school record for most victories in a season with 12 a season ago. He has 206 strike outs in his career which is 5th all-time. With his next victory he will become the MIAA all-time leader in wins.

Initial nominations for the award were made by baseball sports information contacts, coaches and media members. A panel of media, coaches and sports information officers was polled to finalize the candidates and determine the winner. A fan Internet vote also contributes to the final vote.

The Griffons are 31-5 on the season adn 24-2 in MIAA play. they return to action on Saturday, April 20 with a doubleheader against 8th ranked Central Missouri (29-8, 23-7 MIAA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm from the Griffons Baseball Field.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The NCAA has released the second NCAA Central Region Women’s Golf rankings and the Missouri Western Griffons remain 11th. Three other MIAA schools are in the top 12 teams with Central Oklahoma coming in 1st while Northeastern State and Northwest Missouri State are 4th and 9th respectively.

The MIAA, the Great American Conference (GAC) and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) make up the NCAA Central Region this year. 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.

The NCAA Women’s Golf Championships will be held May 15-18 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Griffons wrap up their regular season at the MIAA Championships on Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23 in Smithville, Mo. The event will be held at Paradise Pointe and the women will play the Posse Golf Course.

CENTRAL REGION STANDINGS

1 Central Oklahoma
2 Augustana (S.D.)
3 Northeastern State
3 Southwestern Oklahoma State
5 Arkansas State
5 Harding
7 Henderson State
8 Minnesota State-Mankato
9 Northwest Missouri State
9 Concordia-St. Paul
11 Missouri Western State
12 Upper Iowa

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western Griffon softball team sits in 8th place in the first Central Regional Poll of the season which was released Wednesday (April 17) afternoon. The Griffons have won 15 of their last 18 games and enter the week with a 29-11 overall record and a 13-5 MIAA record.

The top eight teams earn a regional bid with the first and second seeds hosting four team regionals which will be played the first weekend in May. The #1 seed will host the #8, #4 and #5 seeds while the #2 seed will host the #7, #3 and the #6 seeds. The winners of each regional will take on each other in a best of three series the second weekend in May at the highest seed for a chance to go to the elite eight.

The Griffons have been to a regional six of the last eight seasons (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012) which includes being the #4 seed in 2012.

The Griffons are set to play two home doubleheaders this weekend. On Friday, April 19 the Griffons take on the Washburn Lady Blues. First pitch is set for 5:00 pm and then on Saturday, April 20 they will play the 9th seed in the region Emporia State. Game time is set for 12:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western baseball team has jumped up to 6th in the latest Collegiate Baseball Magazine Top 30. This is the highest the Griffons have ever been ranked as they have continued to climb in the polls.

Western is currently 31-5 overall and they’re coming off a 5-3 victory over #4 St. Cloud State on Monday afternoon. The Griffons have won 29 of their last 31 games which consisted of winning streaks of 17 and nine games. They’ve also moved into 1st in the latest NCBWA Regional poll which was released Tuesday morning.

Missouri Western return to action on Wednesday, April 17 with a doubleheader against Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 pm.

This weekend the Griffons will face off against #8 Central Missouri. The two teams will play a doublehader on Saturday, April 20 at 1:00 pm and will wrap up the three game series on Sunday with first pitch slated for 12:00 pm.  All three games can be heard on ESPN 1550 AM.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western men’s golf team fired a two round total of 620 (305-315) finishing in 8th place at the Missouri Southern Invitational. The Griffons finished two strokes back of 7th place finisher Missouri Southern and three strokes back of Fort Hays State who was in 6th. The winner of the event was the Central Oklahoma Bronchos who won the event with a two day total of 590 (293-297). They won the event by 11 strokes over second place Central Missouri 601 (301-300).

The Griffons were led by Wes Apple firing a two round total of 153 (75-78) while James O’Brien finished with a 154 (78-76). Kenny Stone fired a 155 (75-80) while Tyler Gast and Evan McCarthy fired 158 (77-81) and 160 (78-82) respectively.

The winner of the event was Trevor Stafford of Central Oklahoma with a two day total of 140 (74-66) which was four strokes better than Trey Siegal of Washburn.

Western wraps up its season on Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23 in the MIAA Championships. The event will be played in Smithville, Mo. on the Outlaw Course at Paradise Pointe.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western State University Department of Athletics, in conjunction with the St. Joseph News-Press, will celebrate the success of its student-athletes both on and off of the field as part of the 14th Annual Missouri Western State University/St. Joseph News-Press Student-Athlete Honors Banquet to be held Monday, April 29th at 6:30 PM in the Fulkerson Center on the MWSU campus.

Griffon Athletics will honor 11 student-athletes as their respective sports’ “Student-Athlete of the Year” along with numerous team and individual achievements which have taken place over the past calendar year.

Also as part of the evening, Griffon Athletics will recognize recently retired Head Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Smith and Head Athletic Trainer Myron Unzicker who will retire at the end of the season as Silver Anniversary Award Winners.  Recipients of the award display the characteristics of Integrity, Dedication, Leadership, a Commitment to Excellence and an obligation to serve as a concerned partner in their community throughout the past 25 years.

Current Griffon student-athletes who have been chosen as their respective sports’ Student-Athlete of the Year include; Cedric Clinkscales (Men’s Basketball), Jacob Cunning (Cheer Squad), Michael Hill (Football), James O’Brien (Men’s Golf), Brandon Simmons (Baseball), Alicia Bell (Women’s Basketball), Natalie Bird (Women’s Golf), Ceara Boldridge (Women’s Tennis), Ashlyn Castillo (Women’s Soccer), Stephanie Hattey (Volleyball) and Keri Lorbert (Softball).

All of the above individuals are finalists for the Missouri Western State University/St. Joseph News-Press Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award which will be announced during the banquet.  MWSU will also recognize the top graduating senior student-athlete based on highest cumulative GPA with the James J. McMillen Award and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s Volunteer of the Year which recognizes a student-athlete that has contributed outstanding service in the local community.

The event is open to the public at a cost of $25 per person. Griffon Athletics is accepting reservations through Thursday, April 25. Those interested in attending may RSVP at (816) 271-4481. Seating is limited.  Seating will begin at 6:00 PM followed by the program and dinner beginning at 6:30 PM.

— MWSU Sports Information —

In a battle between the nations top pitching team (St. Cloud State) and the nations top hitting team (Missouri Western) hitting prevailed as #10 Missouri Western defeated the #4 Huskies 5-3 Monday afternoon. The Griffons had nine hits improving to 31-5 on the season.

Western used four pitchers in the victory with starter Mark Spreckels going 3.2 innings giving up six hits and two earned runs. He gave up his first run in the second inning when Michael Jurgella doubled to right center and scored on a Travis Enger single to right center giving St. Cloud a 1-0.

The Griffons answered in the bottom of the second with five hits and four runs. MWSU got four two out hits which included a two RBI single scoring Michael Schulze and Shawn Egge. Missouri Western took a 4-1 lead after two.

The Huskies scored their second run in the third when Jurgella doubled down the right field line scoring Garrett Fischer. St. Cloud Stat cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth when Brian Hansen homered to right field off Mason Queen. Queen pitched well going four innings giving up four hits and one earned run. He got the victory for the Griffons improving to 1-0 on the season.

MWSU answered in the bottom of the 5th when Nate Ramler tripled to right center and scored on a passed ball giving Missouri Western a 5-3 lead after five.

The Griffons got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 8th as Jerad Hawkins came in and struck out the Fischer ending the threat. Logan Hollingsworth picked up his 9th save of the season going one inning with one strikeout and one walk.

The Huskies fall to 22-4 on the season as the pounded out 10 hit. Jurgella went 3-for-5 while Fischer went 2-for-5. Scott Lieser falls to 7-2 going seven innings. He gave up nine hits and five earned runs while striking out three.

Western had nine hits with Schulze, Ramler and Egge each getting two.

The Griffons return to action on Wednesday, April 17 when they travel to Hays, Kan. to take on the Fort Hays State Tigers in a mid-week doubleheader. Game time is set for 2:00 pm from Larks Park in Hays, Kan.

— MWSU Sports Information —