JOPLIN, Mo. / PITTSBURG, Kan. – In a rare two city doubleheader on Monday, the Missouri Western baseball team suffered two losses as they are now 1-3 on the young season.  The Griffons dropped the final game they played in the MIAA/GLVC Crossover at Joplin, 9-6, against Missouri S&T.  Then MWSU loaded the bus and drove to Pittsburg, Kansas and they lost a non-league game to Pitt State, 17-10.
 
GAME 1 – Missouri S&T 9, Missouri Western 6
Missouri Western fell behind early and weren't able to catch up.  They were behind 4-0 after three innings and 6-1 after five and half, and they never got closer than three runs the rest of the way.  Alex Crouch hit a two-run home run in the sixth to pull within 6-3 and they Griffons rallied in the ninth inning as well.
 
Trailing 9-4 in the ninth, MWSU scored two runs and had the winning run at the plate as the bases were loaded, but pinch hitter Alec McGehee flew out to end the game.
 
Crouch, Ben Tsui and Chaz Verduzco had two hits each for Missouri Western.  Tsui and Andrew Meier added one RBI apiece to go along with Crouch's home run.
 
Jack Schmedding suffered the loss on the mound as he went 3.2 innings.  He allowed three earned runs and eight hits, while striking out four.
 
GAME 2 – Pittsburg State 17, Missouri Western 10
The Griffons also dug a big hole in their second game Monday as they gave up six runs in the second inning and fell behind 10-1 after four.  MWSU had a five-run fifth inning and a four-run eighth, but could only get within four runs of the Gorillas.
 
Missouri Western hit four home runs as Bailey Crump had his second two home run game of the season, while Alex Crouch and Maurice Bruce went deep.  Bruce finished 3-4 with three runs and four RBI, while Crump and Crouch had two hits, two runs and three RBI each.
 
Jordan Akins made the start for the Griffons but he wasn't able to make it out of the second inning.  Akins allowed seven earned runs and four hits as he struck out two and walked three.
 
UP NEXT
Missouri Western will play its home opener on Friday as they begin a three-game MIAA series against Washburn.  They'll play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 3:00 p.m. from the Spring Sports Complex and then a single game at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.