GRIFFON BASEBALL SERIES PREVIEW
Missouri Western (4-3) vs St. Cloud State (0-0)
Saturday, Feb. 17, Noon - doubleheader |
Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 18, Noon - single game |
Live Stats
ST. JOSEPH - Griffon baseball will host St. Cloud State in its home opening series this Saturday and Sunday.
The series was originally scheduled to begin Friday, Feb. 16, but a chilly forecast in St. Joseph pushed the series to two days. The first game of Saturday's doubleheader will be scheduled for seven innings. Should game one go extra innings, the second game will then become a seven inning game.
St. Cloud State handed the Griffons a 12-0 loss to open the 2017 NCAA Central Region championships in Emporia, Kansas. The Huskies were picked No. 3 in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll and return their top-three hitters from 2017 along with two-time All-American pitcher Sheldon Miks.
Missouri Western comes home after becoming the first MIAA school to defeat Arkansas Tech this season. The Griffs split a four-game series at Arkansas Tech last week after the Wonder Boys opened the season with wins over preseason MIAA favorite Emporia State, Central Oklahoma and Washburn.
The Griffons' two losses at Arkansas Tech both came by just one run. Missouri Western has shown an early ability to battle back. scoring 11 unanswered runs in a series clinching 13-7 win at Harding. The Griffons battled back from an early 7-run deficit in the opener at Arkansas Tech to lose by a run.
Levi Schreiner is off to a hot start at the plate, batting .421 with seven RBIs.
Dusty Stroup leads the team with nine RBIs. Three of Stroup's eight hits have gone for extra bases with a double, triple and home run.
The pitching staff carries a 4.83 team ERA.
Carson Dwyre is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 innings over two starts. Dwyre has limited opponents to two runs on eight hits while striking out nine.
Preston Bailey has two saves and has not allowed a run and just two hits in 4 1/3 innings over three appearances.
