Box Score TOPEKA, Kan. — An all-time classic went down between No. 9 Rogers State and Missouri Western on Wednesday night to kick off the MIAA Tournament, as the No. 6-seeded Griffons fell to the No. 3-seeded Hillcats in the 11th inning at the Envista Softball Complex.
Griffon Softball (35-19) fell into a 3-0 hole early, as Rogers State forced an infield error and then ripped three-straight singles in the bottom of the first.
Natalee Weber responded for MWSU in the second, reaching on a fielder's choice and causing a throwing error to bring in
Kaylea Fessler and
Kennedy Preston. Rogers answered back with an Abbey Rogers solo home run, extending RSU's lead to 4-2.
One inning later in the fourth,
Bubba Hoelscher knotted things up with a two-run bomb of her own. Scoring went idle for the next four innings until Preston came through in the ninth, fouling out with a sacrifice fly to plate
Jada Collins and give MWSU its first lead of the evening at 5-4. However, Bridgett Morales sent a solo homer to center field and tie the game at 5-5.
Later on in the 11th after both teams left opportunities to score on the basepaths, Rogers laced a walk-off double to center field, scoring Natalie Gonzalez and giving the Hillcats (46-10) the 6-5 win.
NOTABLES
- Pitcher Harley Pruetting threw 7.1 innings of relief, striking out eight Hillcats.
- Missouri Western and RSU left a combined 23 runners on base.
- This is the first time RSU and MWSU have met in the MIAA Tournament.
UP NEXT
The Griffons take on No. 7 seed Emporia State on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. back at the Envista Softball Complex. The Hornets lost to Missouri Southern 11-3 in five innings on Wednesday.
