WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Griffon Baseball (28-23) dropped its opening game of the MIAA Championships, 9-3 to No. 3 seed and host Central Missouri (34-15) on Thursday.
No. 3-seed Missouri Western tied the game at two with a run in the fifth. UCM scored the tying run in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out throwing error by
Casey Danley and added another run on an RBI-double two batters later. UCM padded its lead with a four-run sixth inning that was aided by two Griffon errors.
The loss dropped the Griffons to the consolation bracket where they'll face the loser of the No. 2-seed Northwest Missouri versus No. 7-seed Emporia State game at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Fahd Shakeel went 2-for-5 in the game and drove in the Griffons' tying run in the fifth.
Nate Hunter (8-5) took the loss and was charged with eight runs, five of them earned in 5 1/3 innings.
Kellan Richards,
Preston Bailey,
Trever Carroll and
Chase Wiger combined to limit the Mules to two hits and one run, all charged to Wiger, over the final two-plus innings.
