WICHITA, Kan. - Missouri Western baseball (3-17, 2-9 MIAA) suffered a tough 4-3 loss in extra innings to open the day but responded with a 12-8 victory in game two against Newman (7-14, 3-9 MIAA) at McCarthy Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
GAME ONE: MWSU 3, NU 4 (10)
The series opener featured a low-scoring extra-inning battle between the Griffons and Jets.
 
After six complete innings of shutout ball, Newman broke through in the seventh with a pair of runs. Western responded in the eighth with a 2-RBI single from Frank Gall to level the game at 2-2.
 
Anthony Taggart, who hit a triple earlier in the game, added his first homer of the season, giving the Griffons a 3-2 lead in the 10th inning. However, Newman rallied at the bottom of the inning, securing the 4-3 win after MWSU's 6-4-3 double play fell short.
 
Junior lefty Lynden Bruegman led the Griffs on the mound with seven strikeouts in 4.1 IP. Redshirt freshman Jayson Shorb (0-2) was charged with the decision.
 
GAME TWO: MWSU 12, NU 8
Unlike game one, game two was an offensive explosion, as the two teams combined for 20 runs on 24 hits.
 
MWSU jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, highlighted by an RBI triple from Gall, in the opening three frames before the Jets reeled off eight runs in the next two innings to take a two-run advantage.
 
In the eighth, propelled by an RBI double from Taggart and a 2-RBI double from Kaden Doan, the Griffons regained the lead at 11-8. Blake Venneman added an insurance run in the ninth, as the Griffs would hang on to take game two 12-8.
 
Venneman, Taggart and Gall each collect a pair of hits and three RBIs. Both of Taggart's hits were doubles.
 
Lou Levy (2-2) picked up his second win of the season of the bump after providing 5.1 inning shutout with five strikeouts in relief. Logan Winkelman picked up a no-decision in his sixth start this season.
 
UP NEXT
The Griffons and Jets will conclude the three-game series with the finale tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. from McCarthy Field in Wichita, Kansas.