ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Coming down to mere inches, Griffon Softball managed to split Saturday's doubleheader vs. No. 5 Central Oklahoma at the Spring Sports Complex in a pair of games decided by home runs.
GAME ONE
Missouri Western 4, Central Oklahoma 3
After both teams endured a pitching-power struggle throughout the first three innings, Central Oklahoma struck first when Jacee Minter tallied an RBI with a sacrifice foul out in the top of the fourth. Missouri Western answered right back with some small ball of its own in the bottom half of the frame, as
Chloe Armstrong brought home
Kalee Higdon with an RBI groundout to tie the game at 1-1. In the very next inning, an error by center fielder
Abby Dickey allowed UCO to take back the lead at 2-1.
A
Mackenzie DeVine sacrifice fly to left evened the odds in the fifth, scoring
Taylor Jones. After four combined were scored via either errors or sac flies, Higdon broke things open with a go-ahead, two-run home run that barely banged off the top of the left-field pole, giving the Griffons a 4-2 advantage. Only giving up one earned run in game one, pitcher
Harley Pruetting hunkered down after another unearned run came home in the sixth, sending the Bronchos away in one-two-three order to seal the upset victory.
GAME TWO
Central Oklahoma 7, Missouri Western 3
The Griffons kept their momentum rolling in game two, as Missouri Western jumped ahead early. After
Sydni Hawkins shot an RBI single up the middle in the third, both
Jada Collins and
Abby Dickey sent solo shots over the wall to build MWSU's lead up to 3-0 in the fourth. However, after UCO made it a 3-2 game in the sixth, Shayla Harper sent the Bronchos ahead in the seventh with a three-run blast to left field. Tatum Long tagged two more runs with a two-run homer to center, padding UCO's lead for the eventual 7-3 win.
NOTABLES
- Game one marked MWSU's first time playing and beating a top-25 team all season.
- This is also the Griffons' first win over a ranked team since they eliminated No. 5 UCO from last season's MIAA Tournament on May 7 in Edmond, Oklahoma.
- Missouri Western has hit eight home runs in its last five games, with Higdon mashing two of them.
UP NEXT
Missouri Western (21-8, 4-4 MIAA) takes on Illinois Springfield (19-11) this Tuesday at 1 and 3 p.m. in St. Joseph at the Spring Sports Complex. The Prairie Stars have lost three in a row, recently losing both games in a doubleheader vs. Indianapolis in Springfield, Illinois.
