JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team opened its season Friday as they played a doubleheader at Missouri Southern's Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament in Joplin.  MWSU swept the two games with Missouri S&T as they won the opener, 11-1, and took care of the Miners in game two, 9-5.
 
GAME 1 – Missouri Western 11, Missouri S&T 1
The Griffons used a five-run second inning in the opener to jump out to an early lead on S&T and they cruised to a run-rule victory in five innings.  Emma Hoffart went 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, while Sydni Hawkins added two hits and two runs.  Kalyn Damgaard had two RBI and Brea Blanton scored twice for MWSU.
 
Kaili Hinds earned the win in the circle as she threw three scoreless innings.  Hinds allowed just 1 hit and struck out two.
 
GAME 2 – Missouri Western 9, Missouri S&T 5
After falling behind 1-0 in the second game, Chloe Armstrong hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and added a three-run double in the second to put MWSU up 6-1.  The Miners pulled to within one run, 6-5, in the third before Missouri Western got a two-run home run from Brea Blanton in the fourth and went on to the four-run victory.
 
Armstrong led the way as she finished 3-for-4 with six RBI and two runs scored.  Blanton had two hits and three runs scored to go along with her home run.  Freshman Sydney Rader made her collegiate debut as she came on in relief and went four scoreless innings to pick up the win.  Rader struck out six, walked one and allowed just four hits.
 
UP NEXT
Missouri Western will play another doubleheader Saturday on day two of the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament in Joplin.  The Griffs will play two against Northern State beginning at 9:00 a.m.