ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – MSU Moorhead softball would only manage six hits in a pair of losses to Missouri Western State on Friday afternoon. 
 
The Griffons would win game one in six innings, 8-0, and would complete the sweep with a 2-1 win in game two. 
 
Game One
 
Both teams would be held hitless through the first frame as Dragon starter Eliya Johnson would battle past a leadoff walk to earn two flyouts and a strikeout. Johnson would surrender a home run in the bottom of the second inning to give the Griffons a 1-0 lead early in the contest. Annika Norman would gather the first Dragon hit in the third inning with a single but would not make it past second base in the frame. 
 
Missouri Western would tack on a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to stretch their lead to 3-0. While Evey Evans would get on base with a single in the top of the fourth, MSUM would be unable to match the Griffons on the scoreboard. The home team would take full advantage of the cold Dragon bats as they would plate three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. 
 
MSUM would not get another hit in the ballgame as two Dragon errors in the bottom of the sixth proved detrimental. The Griffons would use the MSUM mistakes to score two more runs and close the game early with an 8-0 run rule win. The Dragons had a total of four errors in the contest. 
 
Game Two
 
Game two would begin with both clubs showcasing their abilities on defense and in the circle. Azalya Lopez would start the game for MSUM and would not surrender a Griffon hit through three innings. Lopez would not allow a single Missouri Western baserunner in the effort as Teagan Clemmons would come on in relief in the fourth. While Clemmons would give up a hit in the frame, she would strand two Griffons on base with an inning-ending strikeout. 
 
On the flipside, Missouri Western starter Harley Pruetting would only give up a single Dragon hit in that same stretch. MSUM would work out two walks, but the lone hit would come off the bat of Lizzy Davis in the first inning. Missouri Western would break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single with two outs. Clemmons would eventually work out of the inning but not before the Griffons pushed the lead to two runs.
 
Johnson would earn a walk in the top of the sixth to give MSUM some life with one out. Mack Gallagher would walk in the ensuing at-bat to put two runners on and move Johnson into scoring position. Unfortunately for the Dragons, they would be unable to post any runs despite the baserunners. Evans would pitch a scoreless home half to keep the Dragons within two runs with three outs left to give. 
 
Olivia Goderis would walk to begin the seventh inning to provide MSUM a baserunner. Chloe Makinney would get on base with a single and would move Hannah Losee (pinch running for Goderis) into scoring position with no outs. With one out, Lopez would drive Losee in and move Makinney to third base on an RBI single, giving MSUM its first run of the afternoon. Makinney would be called out at home looking to score on a wild pitch before Missouri Western closed the game out with a strikeout. 
 
Up Next
 
MSUM (11-9) will close its trip to Missouri in a doubleheader against Northwest Missouri State which begins at 12 p.m. on Saturday.