ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Griffons and Prarie Stars split a doubleheader on Tuesday, with Missouri Western taking game one of the series and Illinois Springfield grabbing game two in extra innings at the Spring Sports Complex.
GAME ONE
Missouri Western 5, Illinois Springfield 4
The Griffons took a big lead after four innings, jumping ahead 5-0.
Bubba Hoelscher got things started for MWSU, collecting an RBI off of a double in the second inning. The scoring effort continued in the second inning thanks to
Kennedy Preston going yard down the left field line to make the score 3-0.
The Griffons added two more runs in the fifth before UIS rallied. A late push nearly tied the game, but pitcher
Natalie Kissinger hunkered down to close it out for the 5-4 win. With the win,
Harley Pruetting advanced to 12-3 on the season. She gave up three runs on six hits, striking out four Prairie Stars.
GAME TWO
Illinois Springfield 1, Missouri Western 0 (eight innings)
Both teams engaged in a ferocious pitching battle, with neither team allowing a run through seven innings.
Sam Pederson pitched the entire game, throwing a perfect game through five 5.1 innings and a no-hitter through 6.1 innings. Illinois Springfield (21-14 finally found a hit in the seventh inning and scored the winning run in the eighth.
Both teams gave up three hits in the game, and the Griffons recorded one error. Sydni Hawkings, Preston and
Abby Dickey all recorded hits for the Griffons. Prairie Star pitcher Taylor Zawacki drove in the winning run in the eighth.
NOTABLES
- Hawkins and Preston were the only two Griffons to record hits in both games.
- Hoelscher scored two runs on the day to lead the Griffons.
- Hawkins remains two doubles away from breaking the all-time school record.
UP NEXT
The Griffons (22-9, 4-4 MIAA) return to MIAA play with a doubleheader against No. 15 Washburn (27-5, 6-2 MIAA) on Friday at the Spring Sports Complex. The first pitch of game one is at 2 p.m., and the first pitch of game two is at 4.
