MWSU Season Stats | MIAA Standings
 
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – After a trip to Northwest Missouri State earlier this week, No. 14 Griffon Softball continues a stretch of road games that will have the team playing eight of its next 10 away from home. This weekend, MWSU travels to Fort Hays State for a Friday doubleheader and to Nebraska-Kearney for a twin bill on Saturday.
 
THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western saw its 16-game win streak snapped in a 9-6 loss in the first game of a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State, Tuesday. MWSU came back from five down to tie the game at six in the sixth inning but allowed three runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Griffons salvaged the split with a 2-0 win in game two that saw Shyanne Saladino complete her second consecutive one-hit shutout.
 
Tiffany Gillaspy also hit her 12^th home run of the season in game two against Northwest Missouri. The senior second baseman leads the MIAA in homers and total bases (96). She also sits among the leaders nationally in home runs. On her team, Gillaspy leads in batting average (.431), slugging percentage (.828), runs (38), hits (50), RBIs (34), doubles (8), home runs (12) and total bases (96). Morgan Rathmann and Paige Shifflett are the only Griffons to lead in any other offensive statistic.  Rathamnn has a team-high, five triples and 21 stolen bases. Shifflett leads the team in walks but is right behind Gillaspy in several other categories. As a team, the Griffons have been impressive offensively. They are hitting .310 as a team with opponents batting .248 and have outscored the opposition, by 80 runs.
 
Saladino enters the weekend with a 14-4 record and a team-low 3.27 ERA. Over her last three starts, the junior is 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA and two shutouts. She has held opponents to a .162 batting average in those last three games and .229 on the season. Janie Smith had a streak of eight straight complete game wins, snapped Tuesday at Northwest Missouri. The junior enters the weekend 12-5 with a 3.55 ERA. She leads the team in innings pitched (116.2) and strikeouts (77). Taylor Schaben is the only other Griffon to pitch this season. She's 0-1 with a 4.02 ERA but has been solid in her last two relief appearances. In her last two games, Schaben has pitched nine innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits.
 
The Griffons have scuffled a little in games away from their home park, carrying a 4-6 road record, compared to a 14-0 mark at home.
 
FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS
Fort Hays is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Newman on Tuesday in Hays. Last weekend, the team won four of five, with a sweep of Northeastern State and a split with Central Oklahoma. The team is in the midst of a 10-game home stretch that will close out when they host Northwest Missouri State on Saturday.
 
The Tigers are batting .276 as a team and are led by Tori Beltz' .337 average. Beltz leads the team with 35 hits, 12 doubles, six home runs and 29 RBIs. Erin Elmore leads the team with 23 runs scored and has 30 hits to her name. Paxton Duran is 20-6 with a 2.52 ERA. She has struck out 115 batters in 105.2 innings pitched. Kelsey Kiminau is 8-7 on the year with a 2.74 ERA.
 
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-KEARNEY LOPERS
The Lopers also went 4-1 this weekend against Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State. UNK swept Central Oklahoma at home on Friday and split with Northeastern State on Saturday.
 
Katie Ruwe leads the team and is among the MIAA leaders with her .449 batting average. She also leads the team with 44 hits, nine doubles, four home runs and 42 RBIs. Rebecca Wyatt is batting .388 and has stolen 31 bases on the season. In the circle, the team is led by Cassie Roessing. She's 9-4 with a 3.26 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 88 innings. Meg Housholder is 1-12 on the season with a 9.69 ERA.