COLUMBIA, Mo. — Nothing like a good winning-streak session to close out the regular season.

Griffon Softball swept Saturday's doubleheader against Lincoln with another combo of praiseworthy pitching and momentum-fueled hitting at the Blue Tigers' temporary home of Battle High School.

GAME 1
MWSU 3, LU 1

A three-hit, 10-strikeout gem of a complete game by pitcher Sydney Rader spearheaded the Griffons' 3-1 victory over the Blue Tigers to begin the day. Rader (16-7) found offensive support early on in the first when Emma Hoffart scored Sydni Hawkins on a ground-rule double. Maddie Swanson's single up the middle brought home Rachel Stewart to put MWSU up 2-0.

After yielding a run in the bottom of the first, MWSU (25-20, 15-9 MIAA) tacked on another run in the fifth. Stewart made it a 3-1 Griffon lead thanks to her sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Hawkins to tag up and score. Rader shut the Blue Tigers (12-33, 0-24 MIAA) thanks to two strikeouts — the first a double play where Emma Hoffart threw out Jalia Callaway. 

GAME 2
MWSU 11, LU 0 - F/5

Game two's 11-0 victory was a short and sweet one for starting pitcher Natalie Kissinger (9-11). The sophomore struck out six while the Griffon offense ran rampant with 13 hits. Bubba Hoelscher started the scoring with a double to center field, sending home both Emma Hoffart and Rachel Stewart to go ahead 2-0.

Small-ball scoring from the Griffons helped them go up even more with an 8-0 lead midway through the fifth, securing the run-rule requirement. With a sacrifice fly by Hawkins and a pair of RBI doubles from Stewart and Hoffart, Missouri Western had all it needed to put the Blue Tigers away.

Kissinger made it so in the bottom of the fifth by striking out the side, completing the Griffons' sweep of Lincoln. With this win, MWSU stands all alone at fourth place in the MIAA.

NEXT UP 

Missouri Western prepares for the regular season finale with a doubleheader on Sunday slated for 12 and 2 p.m. against Central Missouri (16-34, 7-16 MIAA) in Warrensburg.