ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball had two dramatic wins over Northwest Missouri State Wednesday to complete the doubleheader sweep of the Bearcats at the Griffon Spring Sports Complex.  MWSU rallied in game one after blowing a five-run lead to win 10-9 in eight innings, and they held on to win the nightcap 4-3.
 
Missouri Western is now 22-10 this season and 11-3 in the MIAA.  Northwest drops to 13-15 and 7-9 in league play.
 
GAME 1 – Missouri Western 10, Northwest 9 (8 innings)
The Griffons scored six runs in the third inning in the opener Wednesday and built an 8-3 lead before the Bearcats rallied in the top of the seventh inning.  Northwest scored five runs in the seventh to force extra innings and then took the lead, 9-8, in the top of the eighth.
 
MWSU second baseman Sydni Hawkins led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single to right, Brea Blanton hit a triple to right center to drive in Hawkins and tie the game and then Emma Hoffart reached on a fielder choice to the pitcher.  Hoffart got into a run-down between first and second base intentionally, and Northwest pitcher Kaitlyn Weis threw the ball away at second and that allowed Blanton to score the winning run from third.
 
Hawkins finished game one 4-of-5 with a home run and three runs scored, Blanton and Maddie Swanson added two hits each and Hoffart had three RBI.
 
Sydney Rader went all eight innings in the circle as she is now 10-4 this season.  Rader allowed nine runs on 11 hits and had four strikeouts.
 
GAME 2 – Missouri Western 4, Northwest 3
The Griffons used a three-run bottom of the sixth inning in game two to break a 1-1 tie and they took a 4-1 lead into the seventh.  Northwest then rallied again. 
 
The Bearcats scored one run to pull within two and then they loaded the bases with just one out.  MWSU pitcher Kaili Hinds got Oliva Daugherty to fly out to center field, but a run scored on the sacrifice fly to make the score 4-3.  On the play, Griffon centerfielder Brea Blanton's throw went to third base and it was a little off target so Hannah Blackford tried to advance to third base, but Emma Hoffart raced to the bag and tagged out Blackford to end the game.
 
Hoffart, Chloe Armstrong, Rian Gere and Sierra Culver had two hits each for Missouri Western, while Gere and Culver had big two-out RBI singles in the three-run sixth inning.  Blanton scored two runs for the Griffons and Hoffart added another RBI.
 
Kaili Hinds (10-3) threw a complete game as she allowed three runs on seven hits.
 
UP NEXT
Missouri Western travels to Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday for a doubleheader that begins at 12:00 p.m.