By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
TOPEKA - The Missouri Western defense played outstanding throughout Saturday's elimination game against Missouri Southern, holding the Lions to just one hit from innings 2-6.
The problem is, Missouri Southern did all of their damage in the first inning.
The Lions (40-12) scored three runs on three hits in the first inning, including a two-run homer to left center, and held on to beat Missouri Western 3-0 at the MIAA softball tournament at the Envista Softball Complex in Topeka Saturday.
The loss knocked the Griffons (37-20) out of the tournament. Missouri Western lost their first game of the tourney on Wednesday to No. 3 seed and defending national champion Rogers State.
The Griffons had since battled back, with big wins over Emporia State Thursday and another against Central Missouri Friday.
Missouri Western outhit Missouri Southern in Saturday's game 6-4, but MWSU never had more than one hit per inning, and the Griffons stranded six baserunners.
The Griffons had eight groundouts, eight flyouts and one lineout. Missouri Southern's winning pitcher, Avery Tallman, also managed three strikeouts while walking none in four innings.
Reliever Bailey Lacy tossed the final three innings to get the save.
Harley Pruetting took the loss in the circle for Missouri Western, allowing three hits and three earned runs in the first inning. Sam Pederson pitched five innings of scoreless relief for the Griffons, allowing just one hit.
Missouri Western now awaits their NCAA tournament fate. The NCAA Division II selection show is Monday, May 8 at 9 a.m. central and will be broadcast on NCAA.com.
Missouri Western was No. 9 in this week's Central Region rankings. The top eight teams in the region qualify for the tournament. Washburn, who was No. 7 in the region, went 1-2 in the MIAA tournament. Missouri Western went 2-2 in the tourney.
The No. 8 seed in the region, Minnesota-Duluth, is an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament, as they are champions of the NSIC conference bracket.
If the Griffons do get in, they'd play in the NCAA Central Region tournament on May 11-13. It's all but certain to be held in Edmond, Oklahoma, as UCO is the No. 1 seed in the region and would host.
Times and pairings will be announced during the selection show Monday.
You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.