ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Baseball (24-22, 17-16 MIAA) ends its regular season at home this week with a series against No. 10 Rogers State (37-10, 25-8 MIAA). Thursday's game is set for 6 p.m., with Friday's set for 3 p.m. and Saturday's at 1 p.m.
The games will be broadcast on the Griffon Sports Network (Varsity Network App, GoGriffons.com/listen) and the MIAA Network as well.
Tommy Rezac and Tucker Holden will call the action.
Saturday's game will be Senior Day for MoWest with 14 seniors being honored –
Tanner Mueller,
Jackson Parrill,
Luke Shannahan,
Jake Pemble,
Sebastian Gutierrez,
Jack Mausser,
Josh Nolte,
Blake Venneman,
Luke Parmentier,
Juan Guardado,
Ben Waliczek,
Miguel Cantu,
Ricky Requejo and
Micah Kobuszewski.
A Year of Progress
Griffon Baseball has clinched a spot in the MIAA tournament field for a 14
th time in program history and the first time since 2019. The 22 wins are the most in a single season since 2018. If MoWest wins just one game this weekend, the Griffons would have their first winning season since 2018.
If MoWest can win two games this weekend, that would clinch an above .500 record in MIAA play for the first time since 2019.
MoWest's 18 home wins is the most since 2014. The Griffs have won six MIAA series this season – the most since seven conference series victories in 2018.
Where We Left Off
Griffon Baseball wrapped up its weekend series at Arkansas-Fort Smith by completing Game 2 and rolling into Game 3 this past Sunday. MoWest fell 12-11 in the completion of Game 2 before bouncing back with a 16-4 win in the series finale.
UAFS 12, MoWest 11 (10 inn.)
The Lions jumped out early, scoring four runs in the first inning and adding another in the fourth to build a 5-1 lead. Arkansas-Fort Smith extended its advantage to 9-3 through six innings, putting the Griffons in a deep hole.
MoWest responded in a big way in the top of the seventh, erupting for seven runs to flip the game and take a 10-9 lead. The inning was highlighted by a three-run home run from
Miguel Cantu, along with key RBI contributions from
Seth Winkler,
David De Hoyos and
Ricky Requejo to complete the comeback.
Shortly after the seventh-inning rally, the game was suspended due to weather with the Griffons holding the 10-9 advantage. Play resumed the following day prior to game three.
Arkansas-Fort Smith answered in the eighth with two runs to regain the lead at 11-10. Missouri Western tied the game in the ninth on a sacrifice fly from
Luke Shannahan, but the Lions responded in the 10th with a walk-off RBI single to secure the 12-11 win.
MoWest 16, UAFS 4
In Game 3, MoWest wasted no time getting on the board, scoring twice in the first inning on a wild pitch and a solo home run from
Seth Winkler. The Griffons continued to apply pressure early, adding runs in the second and a three-run third inning to build a 6-0 lead.
The offense broke the game open in the fifth, erupting for five runs behind multiple extra-base hits.
Carson Shear drove in two with a double, while
Jordan Austin,
Miguel Cantu and Winkler each added RBIs as MoWest extended the lead to 13-4.
David De Hoyos added a solo home run in the sixth, and the Griffons tacked on additional insurance late to put the game out of reach to take the series finale by a final score of 16-4.
On the mound,
Evan Peterson earned the win in relief, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing just one hit while striking out four and not allowing a run.
Sebastian Gutierrez made the start, working 3.2 innings with five strikeouts.
Up Next
The MIAA tournament is set for May 6-10 at Wendall Simmons Field at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Seedings and game times will be released by the MIAA office this weekend.
