Season comes to an end for Grizzly Softball

The 2023-2024 season came to an end Saturday, April 27, for the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Softball team.

The Grizzlies dropped the first two games of a best-of-three series against the State Fair Community College Roadrunners in the sub-regionals of the NJCAA Region 16 Championship Tournament in Sedalia.

The Grizzlies end the season with a 35-19 overall record and a 16-12 conference record.

"I am very proud of what this team was able to accomplish this season," Grizzly Softball Head Coach Don Long said. "The second year of our program and we finished with 35 wins and in the top half of our conference. These girls have moved MSU-WP softball a huge step into being a contending program in our region and conference."

First game results

Although the Grizzlies picked up six hits in the first game of the series, they lost the contest 4-0. Freshmen Jordyn Foley and Brooklyn Hasler, both of Ozark, each hit two singles, while freshmen Kennedy Cogdill, East Prairie, and Brydon Maddox, Malden, each hit one.

In six innings of work, Foley gave up four earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out eight batters.

All four runs were earned by State Fair's Becca Hall, who hit a home run in the bottom of the second inning and drove in three runs in the bottom of the fifth. 

Second game results

The Grizzlies generated more offense in the second game, but it wasn't enough to overtake the Roadrunners, and they dropped the contest 9-5.

State Fair, playing as the visiting team, drew first blood with three runs in the top of second. The Grizzlies answered with their own run in the bottom of the frame. The Roadrunners picked up another run in the fourth, three in the fifth, and one each in the sixth and seventh innings. The Grizzlies added three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Hasler led the offensive charge for the Grizzlies, hitting a single and a home run that drove in a total of three RBIs. Freshman Zoey Williams, West Plains added two singles, while sophomore Kenzie Massey, Grandby, and Maddox each added a single and were walked twice. Massey also had a stolen base, and Maddox picked up an RBI off her hit.

Foley pitched all seven innings, giving up nine runs (seven earned) off 11 hits. She walked two batters and struck out five.

"In both games, we couldn't seem to get a big hit with runners in scoring position," Long said.

For more information about the Grizzly Softball team, visit MSUWPGrizzlies.com or check out the team's Facebook page, Facebook.com/GrizzlySB.