JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team rolled to a non-conference win over MIAA-foe Missouri Southern 9-3 Friday in Joplin. The Griffons improve to 4-7, while the Lions drop to 6-6.
Missouri Western scored its highest run total of the season thanks in part to a dozen hits and six stolen bases. The first seven Griffons to the plate reached first safely in an inning that saw Missouri Western steal three bases. Brea Blanton led off the game with a double and scored on a Lauren Houston triple. Taylor Hoelscher made it 5-0 with an RBI single that scored Sydni Hawkins.
It was a 5-3 game after three, but MWSU got its sixth run in the fourth on a wild pitch, a seventh in the sixth on an RBI single by Hawkins and two runs in the seventh on another Blanton double and a muffed throw off a Houston single.
NOTABLES
- The nine runs were the most this season by the Griffons and the 12 hits were the second most
- The six run differential was also big for MWSU as the Griffons had played five straight games with a two-run differential or less, four of them losses
- MWSU's six stolen bases in the game tied for the second most in program history
- Houston stole two with Blanton, Rachel Stewart, Emma Hoffart and Hawkins each adding one
- Missouri Western totaled four extra-base hits in the game. Blanton had two doubles and Emma Hoffart had one along with Houston's triple.
- Blanton and Houston both went 3 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Houston also walked once.
- Hawkins and Hoelscher each had two hits with Hawkins driving in two
- After the game, the top six batters in the order were all batting .313 or better on the season, led by Hoelscher's .364 average
- Kaili Hinds moved to 2-1 on the season with a complete game. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits, four walks and two Griffon errors. She also struck out five.
UP NEXT
Missouri Western plays a doubleheader against Missouri S&T (3-5) beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Joplin.
--- MWSU Athletics ---