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MWSU golf adds Junior College transfer for 2012-2013 season

Missouri Western men’s golf coach Jim Perry has announced the signing of one student athlete to the National Letter of Intent for the 2012-2013 season. The Griffons welcome junior college transfer Weston Apple of St. Charles, Ill. to next year’s squad.

Apple originally from St. Charles, Ill. will transfer to Missouri Western from Iowa Western Community College out of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Apple played in 17 events with a scoring average of 76 at Iowa Western. As a senior at St. Charles East high school he had a scoring average of 74.9 which was in the top 15 in school history. He was the MVP and a team captain as a senior. He also tied for 11th at the 3A state tournament. He was an all-Conference performer in 2010. His greatest sports thrill was qualifying for the Illinois State High School Tournament in back-to-back season and being named Kane County Chronicle Golfer of the Year twice. He plans on majoring in sports marketing at Western.

“Weston will bring the experience we need to compete in the MIAA”, commented coach Perry.  “He has played in numerous junior college tournaments and will help us out right away. He has a great attitude and we are excited to have him at Western,” stated Perry.

— MWSU Sports Information —

MWSU’s Bishop named South Central Region Pitcher of the Year

Missouri Western sophomore pitcher Jackie Bishop has been named the 2012 Daktroics NCAA Division II South Central Region Pitcher of the Year, it was announced Tuesday. Bishop was also named to the First Team for the second time in her career. The Griffons finished the season 42-13 and have won 40 or more games five times which includes the last two.

The South Central Region is made up of schools from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, Heartland Conference, Lone Star Conference and Great American Conference along with independents University of Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State.

The team is voted on by sports information directors of schools in the region. All first-team selections will appear on the national ballot for All-America honors.

Bishop continues to add to her list of awards garnering Daktronics NCAA Division II South Central Region Pitcher of the Year. Bishop was also named to the First Team. She was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year as well as First Team all-MIAA. Last season Bishop was the MIAA Freshman of the Year and first team selection. Bishop is the first Griffon pitcher to earn South Central Region Pitcher of the Year as well as MIAA Pitcher of the Year. Bishop finsished the season leading the MIAA with a 24-5 overall record and 1.42 ERA. She made 29 apperances with 26 starts. She pitched 26 complete games throwing eight shutouts. She pitched 183 innings with 243 strikeouts which is a new MWSU single season record. She held her opponents to a .180 batting average and gave up just 37earned runs. She was named MIAA Pitcher of the Week four times. She had a career high 16 strikeouts against Pittsburg State on April 6. She has struckout ten or more batters ten times which includes her first seven.

2012 Daktronics Softball South Central Region

Player of the Year
Kacie Edwards, Central Oklahoma

Pitcher of the Year
Jackie Bishop, Missouri Western St

First Team
C          Nathalie Timmermans, Central Oklahoma
1B        Emily Kennemer, East Central
2B        DeeshanaLynn Tafiti, Angelo State
SS        Bailey Vrazel, Texas Woman’s
3B        Kacie Edwards, Central Oklahoma
OF        Courtney Bingham, Midwestern State
OF        Kayce Raines, Central Oklahoma
OF        Addison Staley, Texas Woman’s
UT        Katie Hines, Texas Woman’s
DP       Stephanie Goodwin, Emporia State
P          Jackie Bishop, Missouri Western State
P          Claire Molina, Angelo State
P          Kayla Jackson, Arkansas-Monticello

Second Team
C          Kacie Easley, Angelo State
1B        Megan Whitmire, Central Oklahoma
1B        Tricia Vogel, Emporia State
2B        Brittany Weaver, Central Oklahoma
SS        Amanda (Mannie) DeCastro, Pittsburg State
3B        Elsamartina Apo, Angelo State
OF        Bridget Schade, Truman State
OF        Morgan Spearman, Angelo State
OF        Julie Cross, Oklahoma Panhandle State
UT        Katie Welborn, Tarleton State
DP       Tiffany Brown, Pittsburg State
P          Maddie Holub, Fort Hays State
P          Samantha Swanda, Tarleton State
P          Emily Brittain, State Mary’s

— MWSU Sports Information —

Griffons sweep weekly MIAA baseball awards

Missouri Western baseball players Michael Schulze and Brandon Simmons have been named MIAA Baseball Student-Athletes of the Week for the week May 1-7, as selected by a conference SID panel.

MIAA BASEBALL HITTER OF THE WEEK

Michael Schulze, SS, Missouri Western

The sophomore shortstop has played extremely well as of late hitting in 13 of his last 15 games, which included every game last weekend. In the Griffons’ first three games, Schulze went 10-for-13 with six runs scored and five RBI. He also had four doubles and two walks. On the week he hit .647 with 11 hits in 17 at bats, scoring nineruns and knocking in five. He also had four doubles and four walks on the week. He had a slugging percentage of .882 and an on base percentage of .714. He stole four bases and had 11 putouts and five assists.

MIAA BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Brandon Simmons, RHP, Missouri Western

Simmons won his team-high 11th game on Saturday in a 5-1 victory against the Tigers. Simmons is 11-2 on the season and tied the MWSU single season record for wins in a season. He threw his 10th complete game of the season, giving up just seven hits and one earned run. Simmons has won his ninth straight start after falling in a relief appearance against Emporia State back on March 27. Simmons holds a 1.58 ERA while holding his opponents to a .234 batting average.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Mizzou’s Haith adds transfer from Tulsa

University of Missouri Head Men’s Basketball Coach Frank Haith has added another talented player to his roster, as Jordan Clarkson has signed a scholarship aid agreement to attend Mizzou.  Clarkson, a 6-4, 188-pound guard out of San Antonio, Texas (Wagner High School), has spent the last two years playing at Tulsa University, where he led the Golden Hurricane in scoring as a sophomore, averaging 16.5 points per game in 31 outings.

Clarkson was an NABC District 11 First Team selection this past season, and he also took home first-team Conference USA honors after he helped lead Tulsa to a third-place finish in the league and a 17-14 overall record.  He scored in double figures in each of his last 28 games on the year, and scored 20 or more points eight times.  His scoring average ranked second in C-USA, and he also led the team in assists (79) and free throw percentage (78.4%).

Per NCAA transfer rules, Clarkson will sit out the 2012-13 season, and have two years of eligibility remaining, beginning in 2013-14.

As a freshman at Tulsa, Clarkson earned C-USA All-Freshman Team honors, after averaging 11.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27 games, making nine starts in 2010-11.  Coming out of San Antonio’s Karen Wagner High School, he was ranked as the number-four prospect in the state of Texas by one outlet, and he was named the San Antonio Player of the Year as a senior.

“We’re very pleased to have Jordan join our program,” said Haith.  “Jordan is a combo guard with a wide variety of skills, someone who can do a lot of things for you.  He’s a point guard with tremendous scoring ability, and having him is crucial to helping us achieve balance in our classes.  He’ll benefit from being in the program for a year before he gets out there, and I know he’ll take every advantage of the next year to be ready to go when it’s his time.  He’s a high-quality kid who will fit very well with our culture at Mizzou, and Tiger fans will enjoy having him represent the program,” Haith said.

— MU Sports Information —

Missouri Western softball camp set for end of May

The Missouri Western softball coaching staff has announced that they will be conducting a youth camp at the end of May. The camp will run from Tuesday, May 29 – Thursday, May 31 with two sessions each day. The first session is for ages 6-11 and runs from 8:00 am – 11:00 am while session two runs from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and is for players aging from 12-16. If it is raining the camp will be held in the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex otherwise it will be out at the Softball Field at the Spring Sports Complex.

Each participant will need to bring a personal bat, cleats, helmet and balls. Younger girls will need to bring an 11” ball. The camp is $70 per person and includes a free t-shirt. For more information or to RSVP please contact assistant softball coach Mandie Berneking at anocita@missouriwestern.edu or call 816-271-4256 (Please include t-shirt size).

— MWSU Sports Information —

Griffons lose wild regular season finale at Fort Hays State

Missouri Western could not complete the sweep over the Fort Hays State Tigers on Sunday afternoon falling in the regular season finale by a score of 12-11 at Larks Park in Hays. After winning the first three games of the series, the Griffons were unable to get the the last game finishing the regular season portion of their schedule at 33-15 overall and 26-12 in the MIAA.

As they had done all series, the Griffons jumped on top early with a pair of runs in the top of the first of Spencer Shockley’s sixth homer of the season. Unfortunaly the lead did not last long as Tigers punched back in the bottom half of the inning with four runs off Griffon starter Oliver Kadey who went just 0.2 innings.

Missouri Western pounded out four hits in the third inning taking  the lead back at 5-4 and then pushed the lead to 6-4 in the fourth. In the third Shockley singled in his third run of the game and then Jimmy Smelcer singled to left field scoring David Chew and Shockley. In the fourth Shawn Egge scored on a double by Chew.

Once again FHSU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth on Nash Smith’s second home run of the game, a two-run blast.

Fort Hays State finally took the lead back with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth when Chris Santoscoy had a two-RBI single with the bases loaded, then Smith followed with his fourth RBI of the game on another single.

A walk and error to start the top of the sixth triggered a three-run rally by the Griffons tying the score once again at 9-9 and the Griffons reclaimed the lead 10-9 on a solo home run by Bubba Dotson in the seventh. The homer marked Dotson’s fifth of the season.

The Tigers punched right back in the bottom of the seventh as Luke Kordsmeier hit a solo home run down the left field line to lead off the inning.

Missouri Western once again took the lead with a run in the eighth when Smelcer singled in his third run of the game giving the Griffons a 11-10 lead with an inning and a half to play.

The Tigers responded in the bottom of the eighth  a Shane Shade solo home run tying the score at 11-11. A pair of singles and a walk led to a Sheldon Howell RBI sacrifice fly giving the Tigers the 12-11 lead heading to the ninth.

Bret Macari shut the door on the Griffons in the ninth. He allowed a walk with one out, but got a pop up and strikeout to end the game. He moves to 4-1 on the season with the win.

Western had 13 hits with Shockley leading the way going 4-for-6 with four RBI and four runs scored. Chew, Grant Fink and Smelcer all had two hits apiece. Matt Bergin picked up the loss pitching three innings in releif. He gave up seven hits and three earned runs falling to 2-5 on the season.

FHSU starter Andy Lewten went 4.0 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and two walks. Fort Hays State pounded out 17 hits as they finish the regular season 26-22 and 20-19 in MIAA play. They will be the No. 6 seed next week in the MIAA Tournament.

The Griffons will be the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Tournament and will face the highest remaining seed on Friday, May 11 at 2:30 pm. They are automatically in the four-team double-elimination bracket as they get a by in the opening round. See the tournament bracket at the start of the article for all your game times and participants.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Northwest ends season with sweep of Lincoln

Solid pitching performances from both Carson Smith and Jace Anderson propelled the Northwest Missouri State University baseball game to a season-ending doubleheader sweep of the Lincoln University Blue Tigers Sunday afternoon as they won 10-2 and 1-0.

With the wins, the Bearcats finish the 2012 season at 18-32 overall and 17-23 in the MIAA.  Northwest’s 17-23 conference record ranked the seventh in the MIAA this season, one spot short of making the six-team post-season conference tournament.

Game one was close through four and a half innings of play as the Blue Tigers entered the bottom of the fifth with a 2-1 lead but that soon changed as the Bearcats would plate six runs on six hits to take a 7-2 lead into the sixth.

Northwest added three more runs in the home half of the sixth before Nick Caldrone came on in relief to record the final three outs giving the Bearcats the 10-2 game one win.

Cameron Bedard and JJ Baccari led the Bearcats offensively, each recording three hits in the lop-sided victory.

Carson Smith recorded his third win of the season on the mound for Northwest pitching a stellar six innings while scattering seven hits, striking out four, and allowing no earned runs.

Game two showcased solid pitching from both starting pitchers as Jace Anderson would pitch the complete game shutout while striking out a career-high seven batters on his way to recording his third win of the season.

Lincoln’s Blake Jones carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning before giving up two hits with one out in the final frame including the fatal game-winning RBI single to Cameron Bedard.

The Bearcats’ 1-0 win in game two over the Blue Tigers was also Head Coach Darin Loe’s 500th career win at the collegiate level.  In Coach Loe’s 19-year coaching career, he has accumulated a 500-479 overall coaching record including a 344-345 record while at the helm of the Bearcats.

In all, six seniors played their final games for the Bearcats Sunday afternoon.  Catcher Landinn Eckhardt, pitchers Josh Parrish, Nick Caldrone, Sean Brady and Chris Green, along with infielder Geno DeAngelis all wore their Northwest uniforms for the final time.

— NWMSU Sports Information —-

NWMSU’s Walter breaks MIAA hammer record

Kate Walter continued her outstanding senior season on Sunday as she broke the MIAA Championship meet record in the hammer throw to highlight the three-day event for Northwest Missouri State track and field at Welch Stadium.

Walter broke the 14-year-old mark with a throw of 58.14 meters to eclipse the mark set by Laura Mayo of Emporia State in 1998. Walter’s throw was also a personal best, giving her the sixth best mark in NCAA Division II.

Joining Walter as an MIAA Champion on Sunday was Brittany Poole, who captured the title in the 3000-meter steeplechase at 11:04.55. Although Poole recorded an NCAA provisional time, the Omaha native already clinched her spot at the NCAA Championships with an automatic mark last week at the Drake Relays.

Close behind Poole with a top five finish was Anne Herbert who finished with a time of 11:43.48, good for fourth in the event.

Lekiesha McKnight improved her standing on the provisional list with a fourth place finish in the stacked shot put. McKnight’s mark of 14.54 meters was a personal best and moved her up the provisional list to 12th. Walter also improved her provisional mark in the shot put finishing sixth with a throw of 13.98.

Walter also added a top five finish in the javelin throw finishing fifth with a mark of 41.39 meters. The throw however did not better her provisional distance set earlier in the spring at the ESU Spring Twilight. The Independence, Mo., native has provisionally qualified for three events and earned one automatic making her the first Bearcat in program history to have the possibility of competing in four events at the NCAA Championships in late May.

On the men’s side Porter Groves became the fourth Bearcat male to earn an NCAA provisional mark as the junior finished third in the triple jump. The Lincoln, Neb., native jumped to a mark of 14.92 to earn his spot on the provisional list.

Senior T.R. Pursell earned a runner-up finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase after a time of 9:23.91 and was three seconds shy of a provisional mark as well.

As a team the Bearcat women finished sixth as Lincoln ran away with the team championship while Pittsburg State edged Central Missouri on the men’s side. The Northwest men finished eighth.

The Bearcats have two final events before the NCAA Championships May 24-26 to improve on NCAA marks. Northwest will compete in Chicago at the Dr. Keeler Invitational and Chicago Penultimate on Thursday and Friday with the ESU Last Chance Qualifier on Saturday.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Western softball ends season with NCAA Tourney loss to St. Edward’s

The Missouri Western softball team saw it’s season end in the South Central Regional this afternoon falling 2-1 against St. Edward’s University. Western finished with a 42-13 overall record and say goodbye to seniors Leah Steele and Blair Stalder.

The first inning was rough for the Griffons as they gave up a run on a passed ball after two hits. The Griffon offense struggled all day as they got just one hit in the first four innings off Hilltopper pitcher Emily Mayfield.

The Hilltoppers went up 2-0 in the fifth inning as two errors by Western’s left side of the infield allowed Meagen Bailey to score.

The Griffons cut the lead to 2-1 in the sixth on a two out rally. Sarah Elliott singled and then scored on a double to right center by Blair Stalder. Unfortunatly the Griffons could not get anything else going as they saw its season end.

Annalee Rubio pitched very well for the Griffons giving up just four hits whlie striking out two. She falls to 15-8 with the loss. Stalder, Elliott, Keri Lorbert and Leah Steele all had hits for the Griffons.

St. Edward’s improved to 30-20 and moved on to play Texas Woman’s University in an elimination game. Mayfield improved to 8-4 with the win as she gave up four hits and struckout one.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Griffon baseball wins two more against Fort Hays State

The Missouri Western baseball team continued to play well on the road sweeping a twin bill from Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon. Western won game one 5-1 and game two 9-2 improving to 33-14 overall and 26-11 MIAA.

Game 1: MWSU 5, FHSU 1
Griffon pitcher Brandon Simmons won his 11th game of the season pitching his 10th complete game in a 5-1 victory over Fort Hays State in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader. The victory for Simmons ties AJ Huttenlocker’s single season record for wins in a season which was set in 2009. Simmons is 11-2 on the season.

Western scored in four of the Griffons seven innings which included two in the third inning. Western got on the board in the first when Spencer Shockley hit a sacrafice fly scoring Michael Schulze.

Hays scored their only run in the bottom of the second tying the score at one when Luke Kordsmeier singled to left field scoring JC Ochoa from second.

In the third Western went up 3-1 scoring two runs with two outs. Schulze reached on an error and then stole second. David Chew singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw to home and then Shockley reached on a throwing error which allowed Chew to score giving Western the two run lead.

Things stayed that way until top of the sixth when Grant Fink flied out to center field scoring Shockley and then in the seventh Schulze singled to center field scoring pinch runner Jack Bond from second.

Simmons set down the Tigers in order in the seventh allowing Western to pick up its 32nd win of the season.

Schulze led the charge for the Griffons going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.

The Tigers had seven hits as six different Tigers got hits. Alex Ellison went all seven giving up five hits and three earned runs. He falls to 3-5 with the loss.

Game 2: MWSU 9, FHSU 2
Western got another strong pitching performance from Nik Jurado as he improved to 8-1 on the season throwing his fifth complete game of the season. Jurado scattered eight hits while striking out three in the victory.

Jurado gave up just two runs in the game which came in the fourth inning. Western jumped all over Tiger pitcher Jesse Hart scoring four runs on two hits in just an inning of work.

Western scored five runs in the first two inning with three coming in the first and two in the second. The Griffons tacked one more on in the sixth and three in the seventh on its way to their 33rd win of the season.

Schulze continued to swing the bat well going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Jimmy Smelcer and Spencer Shockley each had three hits as well with both scoring one run and batting in two.

The Tigers fall to 25-22 overall and 19-19 in MIAA play. The two teams wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon with a nine inning game starting at 12:00 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —

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