Ten unanswered runs by Newman propels them over Western
By Jacob Meikel
The recent struggles continue for Missouri Western baseball after a series loss to Newman on Saturday.
The 11-1 loss to Newman on Saturday made it 2-8 for Western in its last 10 games, a slump the Griffons haven’t seen all season long.
Games one and two of the series Friday and Saturday would each come down to the wire as both teams split the two games and wouldn’t allow either to take a game without truly earning it. Saturday’s final game of the series between the Jets and the Griffs would be much different, and didn’t get out of hand quickly. Newman struck first on the scoreboard in the top of the first when Joe Kinneber would single to right field to bring in a runner from second base to give the Jets 1-0.
Western’s response would come later in the third inning, though it looked as if they would bring in a run in the bottom of the second inning until a good relay effort by the Jets got Blake Anderson on a gamble going for third base after Quinn Gundelfinger singled to right field. The out at third on Anderson would go from putting the Griffs in prime scoring position, to ending the inning still trailing 1-0.
The next time Western had a runner in scoring position, the Griffs capitalized. Noah Cook’s RBI double to right center brought in Tyson Gerdes from second base to even the game at 1-1.
One run was all the Griffons could muster as five-win Newman would really put its foot on the gas to score 10 unanswered runs and nearly double the Griffs hit total for the game.
Western’s 12-6 start to the season, now has them at 14-14 and in the bottom half of the MIAA standings. Even though the conference schedule hasn’t been kind to their overall record, the Griffs still have 17 games in order to prove they belong with the best of the best in the MIAA.
