Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Missouri Western State Griffons hit two home runs and got a combined 11 strikeouts from starter Nate Hunter and reliever Zach Cross to edge Nebraska-Kearney, 6-3, Friday night at Memorial Field.

This was the start of a seven-game home stand for the Lopers. With the win, MWSU (23-17, 20-10) pushes its win streak to seven and moves into a second place tie with Lindenwood in the MIAA standings.

Hunter fanned seven and allowed one earned run over 6.1 innings to improve to 6-2 on the season. Throwing 95 pitches, he walked two Lopers and gave up eight hits. Cross earned his first save of 2017 by throwing the final 2.2 innings, fanning four in the process.

Mo West got solo homers from second baseman Jeremy Alvarado and first baseman Bailey Zimmer, and tallied an unearned run in the second, to lead 3-1 after four complete. UNK (13-27, 6-21)  loaded the bases with two down in the fourth but Hunter got a foul ball pop up to left to get out of the jam. Overall, the Lopers stranded nine on the night and hit into one double play.

Colorado sophomore left fielder Pate Katechis (2 for 4) smacked an RBI single to left in the sixth to make it a one-run game. That deficit seemingly was going to grow as the Griffs had the bases full in the eighth. However, senior reliever Weston Glienke (Spencer, Ia.) got pinch hitter Ryan Fisher to ground to second to end the inning.

The first two Griffons were put down in order in the ninth but a single, walk and another single made it a 4-2 ball game. Then, center fielder and two-hole hitter Nick Gawley (3 for 4) lofted a high pop up to right that was lost in the lights and brought home two teammates. Gawley reached third base for his second triple of the year.

Senior third baseman Brent Kirsch (2 for 4) led off the Loper half of the ninth with his second homer of the spring. But Cross settled down and got three of the next four Lopers to finish the night.

The series resumes Saturday at 3:00 p.m.