ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri Western Baseball picked up a 4-2 win on Sunday over the RiverHawks, using top-class pitching from Brayden Haug and early offense to come away with a victory at the Spring Sports Complex. 

Will Courtney got things started off for the Griffs (7-24, 4-16 MIAA), singling up the middle and driving home Hunter Olson and Brenden Andersen to put MWSU up 2-0 in the first. The Griffons ended up stranding Courtney and Jared Munk, but good defense kept them up until they could find the scoreboard again. 

Andersen snagged an RBI to go with a groundout to short in the third inning, driving in Jerry Nix. Two innings later, Andersen grounded out to third, scoring Jhonatan Pena and advancing Bryson McArn. Those two RBI put the Griffons up 4-0 and ended the Griffons' offense for the afternoon. 

Good pitching kept the RiverHawks (14-17, 8-12 MIAA) in check for the remainder of the day, as pitcher Haug threw seven scoreless innings, only giving up four hits and finding four strikeouts. Sam Kratz came in to pitch the eighth inning, giving up two runs on three hits. Carson Aycock came in for the save, throwing the ninth inning and giving up zero hits and zero runs, striking out one and getting a groundout to cap Sunday's contest.

NOTABLES

• Aycock's save is his first of the season and his second as a Griffon.
• Haug moves to 1-1 on the season.
• Nix led the Griffs at the plate with three hits, while Andersen and Courtney collected two RBI apiece.

UP NEXT
The Griffons take on No. 4/17 Missouri Southern (27-8, 16-4 MIAA) in a neutral-site game at Urban Youth Academy in Kansas City, Missouri. First pitch is at 12 p.m. on Tuesday.