JOPLIN, Mo. – Griffon Baseball claimed a series win over No. 25 Missouri Southern with a 5-4 victory on Saturday in Joplin.
 
Missouri Western (7-6, 5-1) broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third and added two more in the seventh to take the series two games to one over the Lions (11-5, 4-2).
 
NOTABLES

• All three games in the series were decided by one run
• Southern had two runners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but scored its fourth run on what ended up being a game-ending double play
• Zach Pych gave the Griffons their first run when he led off the third with a triple then scored on a passed ball
• Andrew Curry drove in two with a two-out single to give MWSU a 3-0 lead
• Fahd Shakeel drove in the first of two runs in the seventh with a single
• Casey Danley scored the Griffons' fifth run on a muffed throw to third while he was stealing third
• Jacob Miller allowed just one run through an 1 2/3, but exited in the second inning after fielding a ground ball
• After two weeks of MIAA play, MWSU is tied atop the conference standings with Central Missouri 

 
LEADERS

• Jacob Cooper (2-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing three hits through two innings
• Pych went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, a triple and a run scored
• Danley went 2-for-5 with two runs scored
• Josh Robinson went 1-for-3 with a run scored and two walks
• Curry drove in two runs on his one hit

 
UP NEXT

• MWSU was originally scheduled for a two-game home series with Southern Indiana on March 5^th and 6^th, that series has been canceled
• The Griffons next scheduled series is a three-game home series with Northeastern State (2-15, 1-5), March 8-10