ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Baseball (4-4) scored a series-opening victory over St. Cloud State on Friday, downing the Huskies 8-1 at the MWSU Spring Sports Complex.

MoWest never trailed in the game, scoring their first run in the second inning when Ricky Requejo was hit by a pitch into bases loaded.

MoWest added another run in the third, thanks to a solo bomb from Micah Kobuszewski to right field, giving the Griffons a 2-1 lead at that point.

David De Hoyos walked into bases loaded in the fifth to make it 3-1. The Griffons then piled on the insurance in the eighth inning, scoring five runs on four hits. Jack Mauzer had a two-run RBI single in that frame.

Ben Ayala, who entered the game in the eighth inning to relieve starter Cole Evans, tossed the last 1.2 innings and retired the Huskies in four at-bats in the top of the ninth.

Evans (2-0) was rock solid again, tossing 7.1 innings and allowing just one earned run to go with three strikeouts and two walks.

Mauzer and De Hoyos each had a pair of hits. Mauzer and Kobuszewski each drove in a pair of runs. De Hoyos scored twice in the game.

MoWest resumes the series with St. Cloud State on Saturday at 1 p.m., weather permitting.