TOPEKA, Kan. - Griffon Softball split another pair of non-conference games, Saturday morning in Topeka. Missouri Western pushed the winning run across in the fifth of a 4-3 win over Maryville before falling 10-8 in 10 innings against Minnesota Duluth.
GAME 1
MWSU 4, Maryville 3
The Griffons scored three unanswered runs to comeback on the Saints and open the day with a win.
Down 3-1, Lauren Houston drove in Brea Blanton with a double down the left field line before Rachel Stewart tied the game with a double to left that scored Houston. Stewart got Blanton home in the fifth for the go-ahead run. Olivia Goodale picked up her first save of the season, holding Maryville without a hit or run over the final three innings. Kelly Uthe picked up the win, pitching the first four innings.
Blanton went 2 for 3 at the plate in the game with a pair of runs scored. Stewart drove in two.
GAME 2
Minnesota Duluth 10, MWSU 8 (10 Innings)
Minnesota Duluth scored one run in each of the first six innings, but the Griffons were able to force extra innings thanks to a four-run fifth. Both teams scratched one across in the eight, but UMD scored three in the top of the 10th and MWSU answered with just one run in the bottom half.
Missouri Western trailed 5-2 after four and a half innings. Emma Hoffart started the rally in the fifth, driving in Blanton with a double to left. Sydni Hawkins put the Griffs up 6-5 with a three run homer to center. UMD tied the game in the sixth with a solo home run that bounced off the top of the wall in center.
Hoffart went 4 for 5 at the plate with three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Taylor Hoelscher went 3 for 5. Hawkins was 2 for 5 with five RBIs. Blanton and Houston had two hits apiece. Uthe took the loss in relief of Kaili Hinds. Uthe gave up four runs, two earned on three hits with two walks and a strikeout over 4.1 innings. Hinds gave up five runs, three earned, on eight hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. Goodale finished the game, pitching one inning.
UP NEXT
The Griffons complete their three-day stand in Topeka against Sioux Falls (8:30) and Wayne State (10:30, Sunday morning.
--- MWSU Athletics ---