Missouri Western Griffons (23-11, 16-8)
at Pittsburg State Gorillas (12-19, 10-14)
Al Ortolani Field: Pittsburg, Kan.
Games 1 & 2: Friday, April 13 beginning at 2 p.m.
Games 3 & 4: Saturday, April 14 beginning at 1 p.m.
Live Stats | MWSU Game Notes | Season Stats | Career Stats
ST. JOSEPH, Mo., The Missouri Western baseball team is coming off a big doubleheader sweep at No. 22 Emporia State that vaulted the team to its best start through 34 games since 2004 (25-9). The two wins helped Western move past Emporia into second place in the MIAA standings, with a one-game advantage over the Hornets. The sweep also gave the Griffons their first road series win on the season.
The Griffons are 4-2 after the first six games of a 14-game road trip, and now sit at 6-7 on the road this season. Head coach Buzz Verduzco earned his 350th career victory with a 5-4 extra inning affair in game one at Emporia. Buzz's all-time record as the Griffons' skipper is now 351-289.
Spencer Shockley leads the team with a .342 batting average, 35 hits and nine doubles. His four home runs are second to
Nate Ramler (6).
Grant Fink has climbed to second on the team with a .315 average and Ramler's .312 is good for third on the team. The Griffons are batting .277 as a team and are averaging 4.6 runs per game.
Brandon Simmons leads the Griffons with a 7-2 record and a 1.95 era.
Nik Jurado is 5-0 in eight starts and carries a 2.19 earned run average.
Ethan Ward (4-2) held Emporia State scoreless through 6 1/3 in game one, before surrendering four earned runs to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Chris Allen closed out the seventh and picked up his second win of the season to move his record to 2-0.
The battle tested Griffons have played four series against ranked opponents, with all series against the MIAA's top-four teams in the books. Western's remaing schedule features teams currently in the bottom half of the MIAA standings. The Griffons wrap up the road trip at 10th place Truman, then host seventh place Southwest Baptist and close the regular season at fifth place Fort Hays.
