ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball took control of first place in the MIAA standings with a doubleheader sweep of Pittsburg State on Saturday. Seniors Shyanne Saladino and Janie Smith combined to allow just six Pittsburg State hits and one run in 17 innings. After the doubleheader, the two pitchers and infielder Emilie Laliberte were honored as part of Senior Day.
 
GAME 1: #18 MWSU 1, Pittsburg State 0 (10 innings)
With two down in the bottom of the 10^th inning, Paige Shifflett drove the 11^th pitch of her at bat to left field and Megan Korgie scored from second to take an absolute pitcher's duel, 1-0.
 
The throw from left field beat Korgie to the plate, but the junior slid around the tag for the winning run. Shifflett was down 0-2then worked the count full before fouling off four-straight pitches before the walk-off single. Korgie was placed on second to begin the inning as part of International Tiebreaker rules. Rebekah Mueller struck out trying to bunt Korgie over. Morgan Rathmann then reached on an error before Shelbie Atwell fouled out to the third baseman to set up Shifflett's at-bat.
 
Janie Smith was masterful, allowing just two hits in 10 innings. She struck out six and walked three, throwing 116 pitches compared to Emmie Robertson's 180 for Pittsburg State. It was Smith's seventh complete game shutout of the season. Robertson took a hard-luck loss, striking out 18 in nine and two-thirds. She allowed five hits in the game and walked four.
 
Shifflett had two of the Griffons' hits and drove in the only run.
 
GAME 2: #18 MWSU 7, Pittsburg State 1
Shyanne Saladino worked a no-hitter for five and a third before surrendering her first hit on an infield single with one down in the sixth. Her offense helped her out, scoring three in the second and four in the sixth.
 
Saladino improved to 16-3 with the win. She ended up allowing four hits and one run while striking out five. Morgan Rathmann was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Shelbie Atwell went 2-4 with two RBIs and Katie Klosterman was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Klosterman reached first in all but one at-bat on the day, going 3-4 with three walks.
 
The win improved Missouri Western to 34-10 on the season, 19-3 in the MIAA and gave the Griffons a two-game lead over the Gorillas and Northwest Missouri State in the conference standings. Missouri Western hosts Northwest Missouri for a non-conference doubleheader Thursday.