The Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Softball will close out the 2024 regular season today with a doubleheader against Crowder College.
The double-header will be played at Hilburn Sports Complex. The first game will be at 2 p.m., and the second one at 4 p.m.
Against North Central Missouri College
MSU-WP split its double header games with North Central on April 18 at the Hilburn Sports Complex. They dropped the first game 3-0 but bounced back to win a close contest 8-7 in the second.
The Grizzlies gave the Pirates too many opportunities to score in the first game, and they took advantage of them, picking up three runs off five hits from MSU-WP’s freshman pitcher Jordyn Foley, Ozark. Foley also gave up nine walks while striking out four batters.
Offensively, the Grizzlies only garnered three hits, all of which were singles by sophomores Kenzie Massey, Grandby, and Madalyn Ivy, Mansfield, and freshman Brooklyn Hasler, Ozark.
In the second game, the Grizzlies’ bats finally came alive as they used an 11-hit performance to squeak out the win. The Pirates drew first blood, scoring four runs in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Grizzlies answered with three in the bottom half of the inning to pull within one. MSU-WP continued to chip away at the scoreboard, adding runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-4 lead. Both teams scored three runs in the seventh inning for the final tally.
Foley led the offensive charge for MSU-WP with a home run and two singles, picking up two RBIs along the way. Freshman Kennedy Cogdill, East Prairie, added two doubles and a single and picked up three RBIs. Freshman Lexie Gastineau, Ava, had two singles, and Massey had one single.
Defensively, Foley gave up seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
“Jordyn struggled with her control, but she did a great job of keeping us in both games,” Grizzly Softball Head Coach Don Long said. “We never got anything going with the bats in the first game, but we really came alive in the second. Kennedy had a walk off double in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs to score the tying and winning runs.”
Against Metropolitan
MSU-WP took both games of Saturday’s double header against Metropolitan at the Hilburn Sports Complex. The Grizzlies won the first game 7-4 and took a 5-1 decision in the nightcap.
In the first game the Grizzlies scored first with two runs in the fourth inning, then added five more runs in the sixth. The Wolves made a late push in the sixth inning, scoring four runs, but they couldn’t catch up to MSU-WP.
The Grizzlies recorded 11 hits in the contest. Freshmen Zoey Williams of West Plains and Alexis Funkhouser of Sullivan each had a home run and a single. Freshman Brydon Maddox, Malden, had a single and a double. Hasler and Cogdill each had a single.
Foley gave up four runs on five hits while striking out seven batters.
In the nightcap, the Wolves got on the scoreboard first with a run in the first inning, but the Grizzlies answered with two runs in the first and three more in the sixth.
Gastineau, Hasler and Williams recorded two hits each, while Massey added one of her own. Williams’ single and double resulted in two RBIs, while Hasler picked up one RBI off her two singles.
Foley gave up one earned run off three hits and two walks while fanning six batters.
Before the games, the Grizzlies recognized Massey and Ivy as part of Sophomore Day activities, thanking them for their contributions to the new program during the past two years.
Against Jefferson
The Grizzlies closed out this past weekend’s action by spliting a double header against the Vikings from Jefferson College at Hilburn Sports Complex Sunday afternoon. The Grizzlies took the first game 3-2 but dropped the nightcap 2-11.
The first game turned into a defensive battle from the mound. Foley gave up two earned runs off five hits while striking out six batters. The Vikings’ pitchers gave up a total of three runs (one earned) off seven hits while striking out five Grizzlies.
Williams led the offensive charge with a home run that drove in one RBI. Hasler hit two singles, while Cogdill and Gastineau each hit doubles, and Funkhouser and Ivy each hit singles.
MSU-WP’s bats went cold in the second game, and the team struggled to contain the Vikings at the plate. In three innings of work, Foley gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts. In three innings of relief, Hasler gave up five earned runs on six hits and a walk.
Massey and Funkhouser generated the only two hits the Grizzlies could muster in the contest.
For more information about the Grizzly Softball team, visit MSUWPGrizzlies.com or check out the team’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/GrizzlySB.
