JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team got knocked out of the MIAA Tournament in heartbreaking fashion Friday as the Griffons lost the first two games of their best-of-three quarterfinal series at Missouri Southern. MWSU let a 4-0 lead in game one slip away as they lost, 7-5, and then Southern got a walk-off win in game two with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 3-2.
The Griffons end their season 27-19, while Missouri Southern advances to the MIAA Tournament semifinals next week in Edmond, Oklahoma.
GAME 1 – Missouri Southern 7, Missouri Western 5
After a scoreless first inning, the Griffons were able to score four two-out runs as
Kalyn Damgaard,
Emma Hoffart and
Chloe Armstrong all drove in runs withmtwo outs to give MWSU a 4-0 lead. But Southern answered right back with seven runs in the bottom of the second inning, aided by a two-out error. Six of the seven runs scored came after the error and were unearned against
Natalie Kissinger, who had to come on in relief of
Sydney Rader after she pitched a 1-2-3 first inning.
Kissinger kept the Griffs in the game as she didn't allow another run the rest of the way, and Missouri Western had a chance in the top of seventh inning. They loaded the bases, scored one run on a single by
Brea Blanton and then lined into a double play to the end the game with the tying runs in scoring position.
Rian Gere led the Griffons with two hits, while Hoffart had two RBI. Kissinger suffered the loss in relief as she allowed just one earned run and seven hits in five innings.
GAME 2 – Missouri Southern 3, Missouri Western 2
The Griffon put the loss in game one behind them quickly as Blanton hit a two-out double in the top of the first inning to score two runs and MWSU went ahead 2-0. The game stayed that way until the fourth inning when Southern got a run back on an RBI groundout and then it stayed 2-1 until the seventh inning.
Kaili Hinds struck out the first Lion she faced in the bottom of the seventh, but then the Griffon defense failed them again as they allowed Southern's lead-off batter to reach on an error. Hinds then got a line out to first base and Missouri Western was one out away from forcing a third and deciding game on Saturday. Hinds walked the Lions' three-hole hitter Josie Tofpi on four pitches and then their clean-up hitter Leighton Withers hit a two-out, two-run double to get the walk-off win for Missouri Southern and end the Griffons season.
In the two games, eight of the 10 runs scored by Missouri Southern were unearned because of two MWSU errors.
Sierra Culver had two of the Missouri Western's five hits, while
Sydni Hawkins added a triple. Hinds took the loss as she went 6.2 innings in her final game in a Griffon uniform. Hinds allowed just one earned run and seven hits.
