KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After a couple of rain delays Tuesday night, the Missouri Western baseball team picked up a non-conference win at Rockhurst 13-2.

Pushed back two hours from the original start time due to rain, the teams didn’t get through the first inning before rain forced another delay with the Griffons leading 3-0. When play resumed, little changed as Missouri Western put on an offensive performance more consistent with what the team has been used to of late.

The Griffons piled on 16 hits, scoring three in the first, two in the fourth and sixth and three runs in the eighth and again in the ninth inning. In the first, MWSU got RBIs from Cosimo Cannella, Mitch Thorman and Dylon Koch. Missouri Western took a 5-0 lead in the fourth when Trevor LaHonta and Brandon Downs scored after David Glaude reached on an error. Grant Woods allowed a leadoff single and two walks in the bottom of the fifth before he was replaced by Weston Caindec. Caindec induced the second out of the inning before giving up a single that pulled the Hawks within two. Caindec picked up the win, going two and two-thirds, with two hits and two strikeouts. The junior reliever ran his scoreless innings streak to over 12. He hasn’t surrendered a run since Feb. 20 at Emporia State. The bullpen kept home plate closed the rest of the way as the Griffon offense continued to tack onto the lead.

Cody Childs drove in one in the sixth with a single before Cannella drove Childs home later in the inning to put MWSU up 7-2. Cannella made it 10-2 in the eighth with a two-RBI double to left and RBIs from Ryan Degner, Childs and Jerico Burasco pushed the Griffon lead to 13-2 in the top of the ninth. Cannella finished the evening 3-6 with four RBIs. Degner and Childs both went 2-3 with Childs driving in two and scoring four. Downs finished 3-5 with two runs scored and LaHonta went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored.

The win pushed Missouri Western to 17-9 overall. The team puts its 5-0 record at the Spring Sports Complex on the line this weekend when it hosts nationally ranked and MIAA leading Missouri Southern in a four-game series that begins Friday at 2 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After helping their team go 10-0 last week and stretch its winning streak to 12 games, two member of the Missouri Western softball team have been rewarded for their efforts. Tiffany Gillaspy has been named the MIAA Hitter of the Week and Janie Smith is the MIAA Pitcher of the Week.

Gillaspy batted .529 and slugged 1.059 in 10 games last week. The senior infielder went 18-34 at the plate with four doubles, four home runs and a triple. She drove in 15 runs and did not strike out in 10 regional wins, two coming against ranked opponents. Coming into the week, Gillaspy was batting .355 but used the stellar week to bump her average up to .417.

Smith went 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA last week, picking up a shutout win over No. 14 Winona State and a one-run win over No. 24 Augustana. The junior pitcher also shutout Northwest Missouri State last week and picked up wins over Southeastern Oklahoma State and Minnesota State. Smith went the distance in all five starts, allowing just seven earned runs in 34 innings, while striking out 16 and not allowing an extra base hit. Smith is the second MWSU pitcher to win the award this season, with Shyanne Saladino claiming the title earlier this spring.

The Griffons return to MIAA play this week, hosting Lindenwood on March 27 and Lincoln on March 28. So far this season, the team is 21-9 overall, 6-2 in the MIAA and 10-0 at home.

— MWSU Sports Information —

OKLAHOMA CITY, Ok. – The Missouri Western men’s golf team finished the Central Oklahoma Broncho Invitational in 10th place, scoring a 618 in the two rounds of golf at the Gaillardia Country Club.

First Round

The Griffons finished in 13th place after day one of the Broncho Invitational at the Gaillardia Country Club. Missouri Western fired a team score of 312 in their first round.

The Griffons were led by Jakob Rudosky, shooting a 75 in his first round, tying him for 28th place in the tournament. Ryan Hand was second on the team with a score of 77 in round one.

Central Oklahoma sits on top with a team score of 286 with Central Missouri sitting second at 291. Stefan Idstam of Southwestern Oklahoma State is the individual leader after day one with a score of 66.

Second Round

In the final round of the Broncho Invitational the Griffons finished with a 306 in their second round. MWSU tied for the second best score on the day as a team to help move up their spots after the first day of competition.

Jakob Rudosky finished with a team-low 151 in his two rounds of golf, tying him for 23rd in the competition. The Griffons’ Corey Knight scored a 155 in his two days of competition.

Central Oklahoma finished the tournament as the team champion, firing a 596 team score for the two rounds. Stefan Idstam held the lead throughout the tournament finishing with a score of 143 to take home the individual award.

The Griffons return to action on Monday, April 6 in Mountain Home, Arkansas at the Big Creek Golf Club. Henderson State will be hosting the three-day event.

— MWSU Sports Information —