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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Griffons will play at home for the first time this season this weekend with two MIAA doubleheaders. On Friday, March 15 the Griffons are scheduled to play the University of Central Missouri at 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm and on Saturday, March 16 the Griffons are scheduled to play Southwest Baptist at 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Both doubleheaders will be played on the Griffon Softball Field at the Spring Sports Complex. Last weekend the Griffons went 1-1 in the MSSU Border Battle in Joplin, Mo. The Griffons fell in heartbreaking fashion 2-1 against Pittsburg State before defeating William Jewell 11-2 in five innings on Saturday. Sunday's games were cancelled due to rain in the area. The Griffons are coming off a season where they made their sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past eight years. They were 42-13 overall record and an 18-2 record in MIAA play giving them a second place finish in the standings.

KNOW THE OPPONENTS...
Central Missouri Team Info
Series with UCM since 2002: MWSU leads 16-15 - Home: 5-8 - Road: 5-5 - Neutral: 6-2
• UCM is 8-6 this season. The Griffons and the Jennies were suppose to play each other last weekend in the Border Battle on Sunday but did not due to the cancellation.
• As a team the Jennies are hitting .293 with Alex Groeger leading the way with a .394 average. Braylyn Bivens is hitting .391 with 18 hits while Ashlea Bengtson is hitting .333 with two home runs and two doubles.
• In the circled the Jennies are led by Jakki Prater with a 5-1 record and a 2.42 ERA. She has 36 strikeouts but has given up 39 hits. As a team they have a 2.86 ERA and are allowing their opponents to hit just .243.

Southwest Baptist Team Info
Series since 2002: MWSU leads 21-2, Home: 11-1, Road: 10-0, Neutral: 0-1
• The Bearcats are 4-12 on the season after winning their first game of the year over Oklahoma Panhandle State 3-2. Since then they are just 3-14.
• As a team the Bearcats are hitting just .195 with Tori Lamkins leading the way with a .282 batting average. She has 11 hits to go along with 10 of the Bearcats 27 RBI. She has two of SBU's four home runs and two of their six doubles.
• In the circle the Bearcats have a 4.68 ERA with Cendyl Carter leading the way with a 4.68 ERA. She has a 4-8 record starting 13 games. She has pitched 70.1 innings giving up 102 hits with just 23 strikouts. She has given up 47 earned runs.
• The Griffons beat the Bearcats last season in Bolivar by a score of 9-0 and 6-2.

GRIFF NOTES...
• #1 Kat Steponovich --2012 Honorable Mention all-MIAA selection...has started 13 games this season with 81 putouts and 6 assists behid the plate.
• #2 Brooke Schaben -- Transferred to Missouri Western from Division I South Dakota... has played in eight games with five starts...she scored two runs and on the mound has a 1.91 ERA in 11 innings of work.
• #3 Jakie Bishop --  2012 Honors: Daktronics Softball All-America Second-Team, NFCA Second Team All-South Central Region, Daktronics NCAA Division II South Central Region Pitcher of the Year, First Team Daktronics NCAA Division II South Central Region, MIAA Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-MIAA...has pitched 58.1 innings with 71 strikeouts...has a 6-2 record with one save...She is five wins away from tying the career mark of 60 and 23 strikeouts away from tying the career mark of 561.
• #5 Emily Moe -- Appeared in 11 games with four starts...pitched two complete games with one shutout...finished with a 3-0 record with one save...has pitched five innings giving up eight runs and 14 hits.
• #7 Michelle Stevenson -- Has started all 18 games at second base...has 23 hits and 12 runs scored...has walked four times and has 26 putout and 25 assists...has a hit in 9 of her last 10 games.
• #8 Kendall Sorensen -- 2012 Honorable Mention All-MIAA...started all 18 games at right field...is hitting .267 with 12 hits, four runs scored and five RBIs.
• #10 Sydney McCune -- A junior college transfer from Des Moines Area CC... Hit .450 with a .728 on-base percentage and .488 on-base percentage...had 69 RBI, 13 home runs, 14 doubles and 38 runs scored...2nd Team All-Region selection...has four at bats this season, got on by a hit and an error.
• #11 Tiffany Gillaspy -- Has stared all 16 games at first base...is hitting .364 with 20 hits, 12 runs scored and 13 RBIs...has five home runs and 106 putouts...has an eight game hitting streak.
• #12 Taylor Anding -- 2012 Honorable Mention all-MIAA...Has started all 18 games with 12 hits and .240 batting average...has 8 runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs...has 26 putouts, 31 assists and seven errors.
• #14 Breanna Fleschner -- 2012 Honorable Mention all-MIAA selection...has started 17 games at left field...is hitting .304 with 17 hits, two doubles, one triple and two home runs...has a six game hitting streak.
• #15 Maegan Roemmich -- 2012 First Team all-MIAA selection...has stared all 18 games in centerfield...hitting .269 with 14 hits, eight runs scored and 10 RBIs...is 1-1 on stolen bases.
• #17 Sarah Elliott -- 2012 Honorable Mention All-MIAA selection... has started all 18 games at third base...leads the team with a .490 batting average...has 25 hits and 16 runs scored...hit two home runs and has 12 RBIs. Has a hit in 16 of the Griffons 18 games.
• #18 Janie Smith -- Freshman from Des Moines East High School...pitched in eight games with a 6-2 record...has pitched 40.2 innings with 20 strikeouts and 19 earned runs...is hitting .357 with five hits, four runs scored, two RBI to go along with a double.
• #22 Keri Lorbert -- 2012 Second Team All-MIAA...has stared all 18 games at either the catcher position or designated player...is hitting .283 with 15 hits and 7 home runs...she has 10 runs scored, 36 total bases and 19 RBI....has 24 putouts.

GRIFFON HEAD COACH JEN BAGLEY...
• Missouri Western head coach Jen Bagley enters her 12th season at Western. Bagley holds a 389-247 overall record in 11 seasons and has coached 50 All-MIAA selections over the past seven seasons, including the programs first NFCA All-America selection (Amy Beverly) in 2006.
• In 2012, Bagley kept up the winning ways guiding her squad to its fifth 40 win season since 2005. Bagley also guided the Griffons to a second place finish in the MIAA regular season and tournament. The Griffons made its sixth NCAA Tournament Apperance in the past eight season. Bagley also coached the Griffons first ever MIAA Pitcher of the Year and Daktronics South Central Region Pitcher of the Year in Jackie Bishop. Bishop was also named Second Team all-America by Daktronics. Jackie Bishop and Maegan Roemmich were named First Team all-MIAA, Blair Stalder and Keri Lorbert were Second Team while Kat Steponovich, Leah Steele, Taylor Anding, Sarah Elliott, Bre Fleschner, Kendall Sorensen and Annalee Rubio were named honorable mention.
• Jen's team has averaged 33 wins a season since she took over as head coach for the Griffons. Bagley has led the Griffons to back-to-back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division II national tournament. The Griffons qualified for the NCAA Central Regional Tournament in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 under Bagley, appearing for the first time in school history in 2005. The Griffons posted a 1-2 record in the national tournament during their first 3 seasons, getting the programs' third national tournament win over Winona State 7-0. In the 2009 South Central Super Regional the Griffons went 2-2 advancing all the way to the Super Regional Championship game against Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Griffons have been to two straight South Central Regional Tournaments.
• 3-time MIAA Coach of the Year (2011, 2009, 2005)

UP NEXT...
The Griffons will continue MIAA play next week on Monday, March 18 with a doubleheader in Maryville, Mo. against rival Northwest Missouri State University. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm.