ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western softball (20-15, 7-7 MIAA) split a non-conference doubleheader with Drury Wednesday, winning the first game 6-3 and dropping the second 5-4.
It was the first non-conference doubleheader the Griffons had played all season.
Missouri Western now goes on the road for a pair of MIAA doubleheaders. The Griffons will now play at Missouri Southern on Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m., and then play at No. 23 Pittsburg State on Monday at 1 and 3 p.m. as well.
GAME 1: Missouri Western 6 Drury 3
Drury got off to a 3-0 start by the top of the fourth, but Missouri Western answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to a two-run RBI single by
Taylor Jones.
The Griffons then took the lead with two runs in the fifth and added an insurance run in the sixth.
Ayva McComas had a two-run RBI single in the fifth to put Missouri Western in front.
McComas,
Sydney Young and
Myah Dwyer each had three hits. Jones had two hits and drove in three runs.
Meanwhile,
Sydney Rader (15-5) tossed a gem in the circle, striking out a career-best 13 batters in a complete game, walking just two and allowing just one earned run.
GAME 2: Drury 5 Missouri Western 4
Missouri Western got off to a great start with two runs in the first, thanks to an RBI triple by
Mackenzie DeVine and an RBI double by
Ayva McComas.
Western then went up 4-1 in the fourth, scoring a pair of runs on wild pitches. McComas and pinch runner
Morgan Byrd scored those runs.
The Griffons were held off the board the rest of the way, and Drury went in front with two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
The Panthers scored their runs in the sixth off of a passed ball and a wild pitch. Both of Drury's runs in the seventh inning were unearned, due to a pair of fielding errors in that frame.
Missouri Western got the tying run to second in the bottom half, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the game.
McComas went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Ashlyn Finarty (3-5), who relieved
Harley Pruetting in the seventh, was charged with the loss. She allowed one hit and had one wild pitch, facing six batters in all.
