COLUMBUS, Ga. — There's being white-hot, and then there's being absolute world-beaters.

Competing in their first-ever NFCA Leadoff Classic, Griffon Softball made quite a first impression by flame throwing through five opponents in three days to claim the title of tournament champions. Now winners of nine in a row, Missouri Western (10-3) edged out Alabama Huntsville for the right to be called the cream of the crop at the classic, as the Chargers also went 5-0 in Columbus. However, MWSU outscored the Chargers in total runs this weekend, 35-30, giving the Griffons a new trophy to take home to St. Joseph.

The Griffons also earned an individual honor, as Mackenzie DeVine was selected to the NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team for her dominant approach at the dish. DeVine hit .470 with 11 RBI, three home runs and two triples, recording at least one run scored in all five games to give six overall this weekend.

GAME 1: FRIDAY, FEB. 24 
Missouri Western 8, Ohio Dominican 1
The Griffons started things off with a statement win, dispatching of Ohio Dominican (5-9) thanks to a 12-hit day from MWSU's offense. Peppering runs throughout the first five innings, the game was highlighted by DeVine's blast to left field in the top of the fourth, putting the Griffs up, 5-1. Missouri Western collected five total extra-base hits that complemented a strong outing inside the circle by Natalie Kissinger and Harley Pruetting, who both combined for zero earned runs given up vs. the Panthers.

GAME 2: FRIDAY, FEB. 24
Missouri Western 6, Bridgeport 1
DeVine picked up right where she left off just an hour ago, blasting a two-run shot to center field to bring home herself and Sydni Hawkins to kick off the top of the first. A two-run single by Bubba Hoelscher bolstered MWSU's lead later on in the third, and a pair of RBI doubles by Abby Dickey and Hawkins were all the Griffons needed to bring down Bridgeport (1-4). Pitcher Sam Pederson backed up the bats with a nine-strikeout day, going the distance for the second time this season.

GAME 3: SATURDAY, FEB. 25
Missouri Western 9, Shaw 1 (5 innings)
Only needing five innings to take care of Shaw (0-9), the Griffons got things going in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI triple to right field by DeVine, plating Hawkins for the second time in the last two days. Pruetting kept the pedal to the medal with an RBI single to center to score DeVine, and Liz Vaupel laced her own triple to right field to bring home Taylor Jones. After four runs in the third and just one Shaw run in the fourth, DeVine promptly responded with yet another triple to right-center field, scoring Hawkins and Kalee Higdon. After building a 7-1 lead heading into the fifth, the Griffons burned the Bears once again in the fifth, with Hawkins tripling in Hoelscher and eventually scoring on a DeVine walk-off single, enforcing the eight-run through five innings rule. 

Meanwhile, the Griffon pitching staff of Pruetting and Kissinger only gave up three hits, with the former fanning six Bears through four innings of work.

GAME 4: SATURDAY, FEB. 25
Missouri Western 6, Charleston 5 (8 innings)
After winning their previous seven games by three runs or more and their last three contests by four runs or more, the Griffons were tasked with adversity for the first time all weekend in a collision with Charleston (2-3). For the first time since Feb. 12 vs. Illinois Springfield and all tourney long, MWSU found itself trailing when the Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Hawkins tied things right back up at 1-1 due to an error error by second baseman Lindsey Reavis, and DeVine took control of the steering wheel right back with an RBI slap to center field, putting MWSU up, 2-1.

Trading runs in the fifth, the Griffons regained another lead after Hawkins' second triple of the tournament. Charleston did not not go away, however, taking its largest lead of the day at 5-3 with a two-run sixth and one-run seventh, forcing the Griffons to commit their fourth error of the game. To make matters more dramatic, both Pruetting and Dickey struck out to start the potential final frame of the game. Despite this, Western did not waver, with Hawkins singling to center field to give her Griffons one last gasp of life. Of all batters to step into the box, the Golden Eagles had to deal with DeVine one more time, who then delivered a two-run bomb that broke Charleston's lead, forcing extra innings for the second time this season.

After Kissinger sat Charleston down with a three up, three-down top of the eighth, Higdon had enough of the dramatics and played the role of hero, singling to left field to drive in Natalee Weber and walk off with the Griffons' eighth-straight victory, 6-5.

GAME 5: SUNDAY, FEB. 26
Missouri Western 6, Northern State 0
With just one game to worry about on Sunday, the Griffon pitching staff stole the spotlight in their final contest at the classic. Pruetting and Pederson combined for eight strikeouts in a combined shutout. Jaida Collins got in on the action on the top of the second, slashing a two-run double to left to score Hoelscher and Vaupel. Collins collected another RBI in the fourth when she singled home Higdon, giving the Griffs a 3-0 lead. Kennedy Preston put the cherry on top of a championship showing down south, clearing the bases with a three-run double in the seventh to cement the Griffons' 6-0 victory and 5-0 stay in Columbus. 

NOTABLES

• In nine total innings pitched this weekend, Pruetting fanned 11 batters while only giving up one earned run.
• Kissinger's 10 innings of work saw her only give up two earned runs.
• Pederson pitched 17 innings this weekend, striking out 18 batters in the process.
• Collins' three-RBI day on Sunday marks a career-high.
• Higdon's heroics vs. Charleston tallies the first walk-off hit of her young Griffon career.
• Hawkins hit 9-for-19 this weekend, racking up a .473 batting average. 
• This nine-game winning streak matches last year's longest winning stretch.

UP NEXT
After taking some time off, Missouri Western picks the season back up on March 10 with an MIAA doubleheader vs. Nebraska Kearney (7-11) in Kearney, Nebraska, at Patriot Park. The Lopers have lost two in a row, recently going 2-3 at the Washburn Invite in Topeka, Kansas. The Griffons and Lopers will play at 2 and 4 p.m.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Grace Derita, Bridgeport

Charity Henderson, California (Pa.) 

Rylee Gattis, Carson-Newman

Hannah Rose, Charleston

Jessica Lopez, Columbus State

Isabelle "Belle" Bonn, Embry-Riddle

Jules Ryan, Gannon

Katelyn Wood, Georgia Southwestern

Adriana Mungo, Georgian Court

Joni Russell, Hillsdale

Laura Bennett, Le Moyne

Katie Tuggle, Lincoln Memorial

Mackenzie DeVine, Missouri Western

Kyra Knudtson, Northern State

Kaleigh Golden, Ohio Dominican

Regina DeDecker, Shaw University

Katie Bracken, UAH

Madison Melvin, West Chester

Haley Downin, Wilmington

Raechel Cutcher, Wingate