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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Griffons baseball team ran its win streak to eight with an MIAA doubleheader sweep over the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Wednesday afternoon. Brandon Simmons (27) tied the school record for wins in a career in the first game improving to 3-0 on the season. In game two the Griffons got another solid pitching performance Ethan Ward in an 11-1 victory. The Griffons improve to 9-3 overall and 5-0 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MWSU 7, Nebraska-Kearney 4
The Griffons got off to a shaky start in the field once again giving up three hits and making two errors which allowed the Lopers to an early 2-0 lead after a half of a inning.

After the first inning Griffon pitcher Simmons settled down giving up just five hits and two runs in the final four an one third innings that he pitched. Simmons picked up his third victory of the season and 27th of his career which ties Nick Finn (1972-75) for most victories in a career.

The Griffons responded in their half of the first getting one run on two hits. Michael Schulze led off with a single and scored on a double by Bubba Dotson. The score remained 2-1 Lopers until the bottom of the third when Grant Fink hit a two out, two run triple giving the Griffons the 3-2 lead after three.

The teams traded runs in the fourth and in the top of the fifth the Lopers tied the score at four. The rest of the game would belong to the Griffons scoring three unanswered runs claiming the three run victory.

In the bottom of the fifth MWSU strung together four hits with RBI singles coming from Fink and Jake Schrader. In the sixth Nate Ramler singled in Dotson giving MWSU its final run of the game.

The Griffons scattered 15 hits with three doubles and two triples. Schulze, Dotson, Simpson, Ramler, Fink and Jimmy Smelcer all had two hits in the contest. Fink led the way with three RBI.

Simmons went 5.1 innings giving up eight hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts while Logan Hollingsworth picked up his second save of the season going 1.2 innings giving up two hits.

The Lopers had 10 hits with Brian Wuest going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Scott Jameson got the loss going three innings giving up six hits and three earned runs with one strikeout.

Game 2
MWSU 11, Nebraska-Kearney 1 (7 innings)
The Griffons used a seven run fourth inning claiming a 11-1 run rule game against the Lopers. The Griffons left 10 runners on base with 13 hits.

Ward improves to 1-0 going five innings giving up two hits with five strikeouts. Mark Spreckels went one inning while Kyle Kelly closed out the game going one inning.

In the second inning the Griffons got on the board capitalizing on the only error of the game. The Griffons got RBI singles from Schulze, Dotson and Simpson taking a 3-0 lead after two.

In the fourth the Griffons got five hits and used four hits scoring seven runs. Shawn Egge, Dotson, Simpson, Fink and Smelcer all got hits in the inning. After four the Griffons lead 10-0.

The Lopers pushed one across in the top of the seventh but MWSU used three straight hits which included the game winning RBI single from Jeremy Monty which scored Dotson.

Seven Griffons had hits in the game with Simpson going 4-for-5 with two hits and one run scored. Dotson, Fink and Smelcer all had two hits in the game. Dotson had three RBI and walked three times.

Drew Postgate picked up the loss for the Lopers going just 3.2 innings giving up 10 hits and five eraned runs. The Lopers had three hits with Anthony Pacheco getting the RBI single. The Lopers fall to 5-7 on the season adn 5-5 in MIAA play.

The Griffons return to action on Tuesday, March 12 when they travel to Topeka, Kan. to play the Washburn Ichabods in an MIAA doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm.