ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Softball briefly hit the .500 mark thanks to a game one blitz vs. Northeastern State, but late runs given up in game two sealed Sunday's doubleheader split at the Spring Sports Complex.
GAME 1
MWSU 7, Northeastern 0
Strikeouts are usually what's on the plate when
Sydney Rader (11-7) hits the circle, and game one was no exception. The sophomore's complete-game shutout and nine-strikeout performance allowed Missouri Western to capture the 7-0 win. After a pair of RBI singles by
Natalee Weber and
Kalyn Damgaard,
Taylor Hoelscher hacked a three-run bomb to left field to put MWSU up 5-0.
Later in the fifth, Damgaard swiped second and forced an error on the play by the shortstop, allowing
Rian Gere to trot across the plate and make it 6-0.
Emma Hoffart scorched an RBI base knock up the gut to score
Sydni Hawkins in the sixth, and the Griffons (18-19, 8-8 MIAA) relied on Rader to put the RiverHawks (21-18, 9-5 MIAA)Â to bed. After her showing on Sunday, Rader is third in the MIAA with 143 tickets punched.
GAME 2
Northeastern 5, MWSU 1
Missouri Western found itself ahead early again, but Northeastern State kept the bats in check to claim the 5-1 victory. Hoffart scored Hawkins again in the first, this time on an RBI groundout. Pitcher
Natalie Kissinger (7-10) gave up two runs in the second inning but remained solid until the last two innings. She gave up a Jaeden Rosenquist two-run home run to left in the sixth and allowed an RBI groundout in the seventh to give the RiverHawks some extra comfort.
Similar to how Rader allowed just three hits in game one, Savannah Evans (7-8) gave the Griffons a taste of their own medicine in game two by only giving up four hits of her own. The Griffons couldn't gain any momentum in the seventh and went out in 1-2-3 fashion to close out the day.
NEXT UP
Rivalry week rears its head next as the Griffons gear up for a doubleheader matchup with Northwest Missouri State (7-32, 1-13 MIAA) on Friday, April 15 at 2 and 4 p.m. in Maryville. The Bearcats are on a three-game skid and are just 4-12 at Bearcat Softball Field. They were outscored 25-1 by No. 3 Rogers state on Sunday and split with Northeastern State on Saturday.
