ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Griffon baseball (7-20, 5-12 MIAA) aims to continue its winning momentum this week as it will host Emporia State (16-12, 9-8 MIAA) and Missouri Southern (17-14, 10-11 MIAA) at the Spring Sports Complex.
Action at Griffon Park will kick off with a new start time against the Hornets on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Since their first matchup on April 15, ESU has tallied a 5-2 record, including series victories over Newman (3-0) and Missouri Southern (2-1). Keep an eye on junior outfielder Noah Steele from Prairie Village, Kansas, as well as sophomore right-handed pitcher Seth Stover from Columbus, Kansas.
The upcoming weekend series against Missouri Southern features game one on Friday at 6:00 p.m., game two on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and game three on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The defending MIAA Tournament Champions have been struggling recently, losing seven out of their last eight games. Key player to watch is junior outfielder Brayden Luikart from St. Joseph, and the team's current ace is senior right-handed pitcher Kyle Moore from Streamwood, Illinois.
WATCH - MIAA NETWORK
All MIAA football, women's soccer, volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball, baseball and softball regular season conference games will be streamed live on the MIAA Network. The MIAA Network showcased over 1,500 live broadcasts for its 14 member schools last season. For more information, visit
https://www.themiaanetwork.com/.
LISTEN - GRIFFON SPORTS NETWORK (Varsity Network App & GoGriffons.com/listen)
Live streams of Missouri Western athletics are now available on The Varsity Network app! All home and away football and men's and women's basketball games will be available to listen to for FREE on the Varsity Network App and at
GoGriffons.com/listen. Available on iPhone and Android, fans can access free audio streams for game days on the Varsity Network App. Fans can also receive push notifications as reminders for upcoming games and broadcasts.
Once you download The Varsity Network app, search 'Missouri Western' and select which Griffon teams you want to follow. For more information on The Varsity Network and how to listen to the Griffons,
click here. Audio broadcasts can also be found at
GoGriffons.com/listen. Audio broadcasts will also be archived at
GoGriffons.com/listen in the 'On Demand' section, and on the
Griffon Sports Insider Podcast, which is available on Spotify, Apple and wherever you podcast.
2025 MIAA BASEBALL STANDINGS (as of 3/31/25)
| Fort Hays State |
16-4 |
.800 |
21-8 |
.724 |
L1 |
| Central Missouri |
13-4 |
.765 |
22-7 |
.759 |
W1 |
| Central Oklahoma |
14-6 |
.700 |
24-8 |
.750 |
W8 |
| Pittsburg State |
12-7 |
.632 |
22-7 |
.759 |
W4 |
| Rogers State |
9-8 |
.529 |
19-10 |
.655 |
L1 |
| Emporia State |
9-8 |
.529 |
16-12 |
.571 |
W2 |
| Washburn |
10-10 |
.500 |
17-15 |
.531 |
W3 |
| Missouri Southern |
10-11 |
.476 |
17-14 |
.548 |
L2 |
| Northwest Missouri |
8-9 |
.471 |
14-16 |
.467 |
W1 |
| Northeastern State |
7-10 |
.412 |
10-21 |
.323 |
L10 |
| Missouri Western |
5-12 |
.294 |
7-20 |
.259 |
W2 |
| Arkansas-Fort Smith |
4-16 |
.200 |
9-21 |
.300 |
L3 |
| Newman |
4-16 |
.200 |
8-22 |
.267 |
L8 |
TOP GRIFFON PERFORMERS
Anthony Taggart has been a standout contributor to the Griffon offense this season. The junior holds an impressive slash line of .341/.443/.512, accumulating 28 hits, 22 RBIs and 17 runs scored. His hits include nine extra-base hits, consisting of six doubles, two home runs and one triple. Additionally, the native of Topeka, Kansas, has added eight walks and four stolen bases.
Frank Gall has made a strong impression in his first season as a Griffon, recording a team-high 30 hits, including three home runs, three triples and two doubles, along with 22 RBIs and 23 runs scored. The St. Joseph native also leads the team with 18 stolen bases on 20 attempts.
Sophomore
Diego Rodriguez (8-for-19) and freshman
Easton O'Keefe (10-for-25) have substantially impacted the starting lineup since joining it regularly in March. Additionally, junior
Blake Venneman leads the team with 17 walks and ranks second in runs scored with 22.
In the pitching rotation, junior
Lynden Bruegman (1-4) and
Logan Winkelman (0-2) lead the team with 34 strikeouts this season. Freshman
Colby Deaver (1-4) has added a spark to the pitching staff, which includes a 7.0 innings shutout in the win over Northwest. He also ranks third in strikeouts with 23.
Jayson Shorb (1-2) has been impressive in relief, posting a 0.80 WHIP and a 2.76 ERA over 14.1 innings. Additionally, junior
Lou Levy (2-2) has added to the bullpen's depth with 12 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched.
