Box Score Season Stats

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Michael Schulze, Nate Ramler, and Grant Fink each blasted home runs for No. 2 seed Missouri Western as the Griffons defeated No. 4 seed Washburn, 12-8, Friday afternoon in a wild game four of the MIAA Centennial Baseball Championship at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

Washburn got things started quickly in the first inning, as leadoff hitter John Calhoun singled to right center, advanced to second on a throwing error by pitcher Brandon Simmons, and scored from second on a fielding error by the third baseman Fink. Tyler Bean followed with a two-run, inside-the-park home run giving the Ichabods a 3-0 lead on a play where Missouri Western outfielders Bubba Dotson and Shawn Egge collided which resulted in both being carted off on stretchers and rushed to a hospital in Overland Park, Kan.

Missouri Western responded in the bottom of the first with a three spot of its own. Schulze led off with a towering home run over the right field wall that landed at the top of the grass berm to make the score 3-1 in favor of Washburn. Two batters later, Spencer Shockley doubled to right center scoring Jake Graham. Shockley would later score on an RBI ground ball by Fink tying the score at 3-3 after one.

Western took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the third inning when Ramler laced a three-run shot over the left field wall just inside the foul pole giving the Griffons a 6-3 advantage. After a Jimmy Smelcer walk and a David Chew single, Smelcer scored on a throw to second as Chew stole the base. Andrew Pieper followed with an RBI single to right center, scoring Chew giving MWSU an 8-3 lead after three.

In the bottom of the fourth, Fink powered a two-run home run deep over the center field wall extending the Griffon lead to 10-3.

Washburn made it interesting in the top of the sixth, recording four runs on five hits. With runners on first and second, Blaine Matthews singled to left field scoring Brad Alberts. Blake Hageman followed with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Bean. The next batter, Richard Swan, continued the hit parade with an RBI single of his own to left field, bringing Matthews home. Calhoun finished up the sixth inning scoring with an RBI single to right center, scoring Hageman to bring the Ichabods to within three at 10-7. Western excaped the inning when a line drive found the glove of Spencer Shockley and he was able to double off the runner from second.

After holding Missouri Western scoreless in the bottom half of the sixth inning, Washburn cut the lead to two when Bean connected on his second home run of the game, a solo shot over the right field wall making  the score 10-8 in the top of the seventh.

Western extended the lead back to four in the bottom of the seventh inning when Shockley hit a two-RBI single to left field that scored Schulze and Tony Loeffler giving the Griffons the final 12-8 cushion.

Shockley finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored for Missouri Western. Ramler was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Fink was 2-for-5 with three RBIs as well and a run scored for the Griffons. Brandon Simmons (12-2) set a MWSU school record with his 12th win of the season. The junior from Kansas City, Kan., went 7.1 innings, giving up eight runs (five earned) on 11 hits. He also tied his season high with nine strikeouts.

Bean led the way for Washburn, going 3-for-4 with the two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored. Calhoun was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for the Ichabods.

Missouri Western (34-15) moves on to face top-seeded Central Missouri in the winners' bracket game Saturday at 11 a.m.