Throughout the season, Missouri Western hasn’t feared trailing a game, because the Griffons know at any time they could recover.

Saturday was no exception.

Thanks to a huge fifth inning in game one, and a huge sixth inning in game two, the Griffons defeated Lindenwood in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Griffons Spring Sports Complex, winning 6-4 and 5-3 respectively.

The Griffons (29-5, 23-2), known for their power hitting, were able to overcome slow starts in both games and notched two close wins against conference newcomer Lindenwood (16-21, 14-15).

In the first game, a 6-hit fourth inning — highlighted by right-fielder Nate Ramler’s two-run homer that cleared over 450 feet, bouncing off the nearby softball field’s light poll onto the field – helped the Griffons score five runs after trailing 3-1. A slow start wasn’t much.

“(This) was good for the club,” Western coach Buzz Verduzco said. “Probably over the next two weeks there is going to be a lot of dog fights. And one thing we do know and we’re continuing to remember is that we’re never out of any game. We still think our offense is good enough to where we can go through the lineup and still be a threat to be able to score.”

Hitting wasn’t the only problem early for the Griffons.

Brandon Simmons, the Griffons No. 1 pitcher, stayed focused after he appeared to struggle early in the contest.

Simmons, who improved to 8-0, earned his 32nd win of his career. With the victory, the senior is now tied for most wins in the conference, and could pick up the career record against Central Missouri next Saturday. The Mules are currently the No. 2 team in the conference.

In order to pick up the win Simmons had to overcome a 3-0 start after three innings. Lindenwood strung together six hits to take the command, but in the bottom of the third, center fielder Shawn Egge popped a double to center field.

Leadoff hitter Michael Schulze sent a single over second base, but a close call at kept Western at bay after Egge was thrown out from center field. The next inning, the Griffons didn’t make it close.

After catcher Jake Schrader walked, Egge singled up the middle and Schulze hit a sac bun to move but runners into scoring position.

Bubba Dotson sent a triple to right center on the next bat, scoring three runs to take a slim, 4-3 lead. Ramler sent a homer flying over the fence into the next field where the Griffons’ softball team was playing a conference game against Truman State. Luckily the ball hit the light poll on its way down to nullify a disruption what would have been.

The one-out bomb put the Griffons ahead 6-3, and Simmons finished the next two innings before Logan Hollingsworth picked up the save in the seventh inning. Ramler finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

“That hit, against the wind, that was probably one of the hardest ones I’ve seen here (at the spring sports complex),” Verduzco said. “For Simmons, that wasn’t his best outing either. And that just goes to show you what he can do for the team when he’s really not at his best. How much he’ll fight, he’ll battle, he’ll keep himself in the zone, he’ll keep himself out of big innings. That’s a mark of a good pitcher.”

GAME 2
Western 5, Lindenwood 3

The Griffons complemented their game one comeback with a second offering in game two.

After falling behind 3-2, the Griffons score four runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the second win of the day. Jake Schrader, who coming into Saturday was hitting .256, good for ninth on the team’s No. 1 ranked average, popped a ball over centerfielder Wade Rothermich’s head to bring in two runs and the quick 4-3 lead.

Two plays later, Schulze singled and score Schrader. And without Simmons in game two, Western used a trio of pitchers in Ethan Ward, Jerad Hawkins and Hollingsworth to close out the game with a 5-3 victory.

Left-fielder Kyle Simpson finished the game 3-for-4 with one RBI. In the doubleheader, the Griffons put together 20 hits with 11 RBIs. The Lions had 19 hits with nine RBIs.

The Griffons finish the series against Lindenwood today with the first pitch set for noon, but may be moved up with rain forecasted in the area.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The 25th ranked Missouri Western softball team split a double header with the Truman State Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon from the MWSU Softball Field. The Griffons won game on 7-1 before falling 6-2 in the night cap. The Griffons sit at 27-11 overall and 11-5 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MWSU 7, TSU 1
The Griffons scored seven runs in the final two runs coming away with a 7-1 victory in game one against the Truman State Bulldogs. Jakie Bishop gave up four hits with two coming in the first inning when TSU scored its only run. Bishop struck out five improving to 14-4 on the season.

After going down 1-0 in the first the Griffons stranded numerous runners on base in the first four innings. In the fifth the Griffons got walks from Kat Steponovich and Sarah Elliott. Sam Elliott pinch ran for Steponovich and scored on a sacrafive fly from Tiffany Gillaspy tying th score at one after five.

In the sixth the Griffons got six hits while scoring six runs claiming the 7-1 lead. Griffons batted around with Michelle Stevenson leading off with an infield single. Two batters later Maegan Roemmich got an RBI single giving the Griffons the lead for good. MWSU left seven runners on base and had six RBI in the contest.

Sarah Elliott, Stevenson and Roemmich all had two hits in the contest. Seven of the Griffon nine batters got hits in the game.

Hannah Washburn fell to 12-5 overall going 5.2 innings giving up 10 hits and seven earned runs. She walked five and struck out four.

Game 2
TSU 6, MWSU 2
In game two the Griffons struggled offensively getting just five hits and two runs. Brooke Schaben and Keri Lorbert got RBI singles as the Griffons fell 6-2.

Janie Smith struggled in the circle giving up 10 hits and five earned runs in five innings of work. She struck out two and walked two. Schaben pitched two innings giving up three hits and one earned run.

The Bulldogs scored three runs in the fourth inning taking a 4-0 lead after three and a half innings of play. Laura Miller, Kelsey Bollman, Kristen Grossman and Meredith Kusky all had two hits Truman as they sit at 21-11 overall and 9-7 in MIAA play.

Kindra Henze pitched all seven innings giving up five hits and two earned runs. She improves to 6-4 with the victory.

The Griffons return to action on Sunday, April 14 with a double header against the Lindenwood Lions. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 am.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western women’s tennis team fell 8-1 againt the Washburn Lady Blues on Saturday afternoon in their final MIAA match of the season. The Griffons fall to 6-15 overall and 2-9 in MIAA play.

Western got its only point from Ceara Boldridge as she has now won seven of her last eight singles matches which includes four in a row. Boldridge is now 10-10 in singles matches this season. Boldridge defeated Kirsten Holle in No. 4 singles 6-4, 6-2.

In doubles matches the duo of Lindsey Beger and Bodridge lost a tough match 9-8 against Gwen Shepler and Nzingha Banks.

The Washburn Lady Blues improve to 4-14 overall and 4-6 in MIAA play.

The will play a non-conference match on Monday, April 15 at 2:00 pm against the Rockhurst University Hawks.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western Head Men’s Basketball Coach Brett Weiberg has announced the addition of Aaron Coombs to fill the position of assistant coach.  Coombs, who has been the assistant coach at Missouri S&T since July of 2012, along with Graduate Assistant Coach Anthony Medina will complete Weiberg’s first staff.

Prior to his stint at Missouri S&T, Coombs was Weiberg’s assistant at Northern Oklahoma College from July 2010-June 2012.

“Aaron is an extremely hard worker,” stated Weiberg. “He is very passionate about the game of basketball and has a strong desire to see young men develop as players and as people. He is an excellent young basketball coach and a great competitor. He will be a positive addition to Missouri Western and Griffon Basketball.”

While at Missouri S&T and Northern Oklahoma, Coombs worked exclusively with the team’s forwards and post players. He also handled the team’s game day walk-through sessions and the defensive strategies in its game preparation. He was responsible for the team’s strength and conditioning program and served as a marketing instructor at Northern Oklahoma.

Prior to his two years in Oklahoma, Coombs spent a year as an assistant coach for the AAU Flight 22 team in Wilmington, N.C., where he handled individual instruction for the post players and handled the defensive aspects for that team.

Coombs, who is originally from Sugarland, Texas, played his collegiate basketball at UNC Wilmington, where he played for two teams that reached the NCAA Tournament after winning the Colonial Athletic Association championship.

While at UNCW, Coombs was named as his team’s most improved player in the 2004-05 season and was chosen to the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s All-America team in 2003. He played for Jerry Wainwright, former head coach at DePaul University and Brad Brownell, the current head coach at Clemson University.

Coombs continued his playing career overseas, playing for the Saint-Charmond, Saint-Etienne and Longwy basketball clubs in France – averaging nearly 15 points per game in that three-year span and leading two of those squads in scoring – then played one season for Tirgu-Mures Basketball Club in Romania where he was the team’s top rebounder and second-leading scorer with averages of 14 points and eight rebounds per game in the 2008-09 campaign.

In the 2005-06 season with Saint-Charmond, he averaged 17 points and nine rebounds a game which put him among the top five in the league in both categories.

Coombs earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2005 from UNC Wilmington.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western baseball team has added a single nine inning game with the 4th ranked St. Cloud State Huskies on Monday, April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm from the Griffon Baseball Field at the Spring Sports Complex.

The Missouri Western baseball team is currently leading the country in hitting along with being ranked high in the polls. With the highest team batting average of .380, the Griffons lead 288 NCAA Division II teams in the rankings.

The Griffons are also currently ranked T11th in the NCBWA poll, 13th in the National DII Baseball News poll, 13th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll, and 11th  in the College Baseball Lineup poll. The Griffons have won 26 of their last 28 games which included winning streaks of 17 and nine games. They are 27-5 overall and 21-2 in MIAA play.

The St. Cloud State University baseball team is currently leading the country in earned run average along with being ranked high in the polls.

With the lowest pitching staff ERA of 1.40, the Huskies lead 288 NCAA Division II teams in the rankings.

The Huskies are also currently ranked 4th in the NCBWA poll, 5th in the National DII Baseball News poll, 6th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll, and 7th in the College Baseball Lineup poll.

With a 14 game win streak, St. Cloud State currently has a record of 21-2 overall and 10-0 in the NSIC good for first in conference standings.

The Griffons will take on the Lindenwood Lions this weekend in a three game series. The two teams play a double header on Saturday, April 13 at 1:00 pm and will wrap up the series on Sunday, April 14 with a single nine inning game starting at 12:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —