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It was a magical weekend for the Griffon Softball team as they won their first ever MIAA Tournament Championship at Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kansas.  The Griffs went a perfect 4-0 along the way including outscoring their opponents in the four games 41-9.  Day one victories included a 16-7 triumph over Northwest Missouri State and a 10-1 victory against Central Oklahoma.  Then two victories against Northeastern State secured the title in defeating the RiverHawks 3-1 and 12-0.  Pitcher Jackie Bishop picked up wins in all four games including a 17 strikeout performance on Friday and it was a team effort at the plate with multiple Griffons turning in stellar performances.

In winning the tournament title, the Griffs secured the leagues automatic bid to this weekends NCAA Tournament and will be the 5th seed in the Central Regional in Winona, Minnesota facing 4th seeded Augustana at 4:30 PM on Friday.  The Griffons and Vikings are 1-1 against each other this season.  Here is a link to the tournament website: http://www.winonastatewarriors.com/sports/2014/5/5/SB_0505141813.aspx

KNOW THE OPPONENTS...
#4 Augustana College (S.D.) State Info
Series with AC since 2002: MWSU leads 9-7 - Home: 3-0 - Road: 1-1 - Neutral: 6-5 AC
Overall Record: 13-11 AC - Neutral Site: 11-5 AC
• The Griffons and the Vikings have played 16 times since the 2002 season with the Griffons holding a slight edge on the Vikings 9-7. The two teams split a pair of games this season with Augustana winning on February 23 in St. Cloud, Minnesota by a score of 3-1 and the Griffons winning 6-0 on March 22 in St. Joseph, Mo.
• Augustana was ranked 25th in the country in the last National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Top 25 Poll.
• The Vikings are 43-13 on the season and are coming off a weekend where they went 3-2 in the NSIC Tournament. The Vikings defeated Minnesota-Duluth 9-7, University of Mary 11-0 in five innings and Minnesota State 3-1 before falling 5-0 and 3-1 in the championship against Winona State. 
• This marks the first time that the two teams will play each other in the national tournament.
• The Vikings are on a bit of a roll coming into the regional as they won eight of their last 11 games and 20 of their last 27 games. 
• On the season the Vikings are hitting .310 with six players hitting over .300. Lindsay Spanton leads the way with a .367 average with 15 doubles and .707 slugging percentage. Sarah Kennedy is hitting .364 with a team high 64 hits while Caitlin Nichol is hitting .339 with a team high 49 runs scored. Mackenzie Alstott is hitting .338 and is tied for a team high with 14 stolen bases while Jenelle Trautmann is hitting .331 with a team high 16 home runs and 50 RBI. 
• As a team they have 68 doubles and 62 home runs to go along with 62 stolen bases. 
• In the circle the Vikings have a 2.13 ERA with Karlee Koopman holding a 1.99 ERA and a 2-1 record in 25 games. She has four starts with two complete games and six combined shutouts. She also has one save in 49.1 innings. Jenelle Trautmann is 26-6 on the season with a 2.09 ERA. She has thrown four complete games and seven combined shutouts with one save. She has thrown 167.1 innings with 163 strikeouts. Carley Pickett has a 15-6 record in 36 games with 25 starts. She has a 2.22 ERA with seven complete games and five combined shutouts. She has eight saves in 148 innings pitched. 

#1 Winona State Team Info
Series with WSU since 2002: MWSU leads 5-4 - Home: 1-1 - Road: 0-0 - Neutral: 4-3 - Regional: 2-0 MWSU
• The Griffons and the Warriors have met nine times since 2002 which includes twice in the regional tournament. The Griffons hold a 5-4 lead since 2002. The Griffons beat Winona 6-5 on May 12, 2005 in Emporia, Kan. and won 7-0 in Mankato, Minn. on May 11, 2007. 
• After losing their first game of the NSIC Tournament last weekend the Winona State Warriors won six straight games claiming the NSIC Tournament Championship defeating Augustana College twice by scores of 5-0 and 3-1 in the championship. The Warriors are on a roll winning 26 of their last 27 games. They had a 20 game winning streak going until their loss against the University of Mary in the opening game of the NSIC Tournament. 
• As a team the Warriors are hitting .346 with two players hitting over .400 and six players hitting over .300. The Warriors have hit 73 doubles, 15 triples and 44 home runs on the season. They have stolen 24 bases this season and have a .968 fielding percentage. 
• Jenny Nelson leads the way for the Warriors offensively hitting .421 with 17 home runs, 70 RBI and 130 total bases. Morgan Lintz has a .407 batting average with 68 hits and 69 RBI while Ashley Walker leads the team with 69 hits and 60 runs scored while hitting .385. 
• In the circle the Warriors have a 2.02 ERA with Walker leading the way with a 2.06 ERA in 27 games. She has started 10 games with an 18-4 record. She has pitched 156.1 innings with 97 strikeouts. Hanna Lythberg has a 22-3 record with a 2.20 ERA in 38 games. She has started 36 games with 19 complete. She has thrown 156 innings with 114 strikeouts.  

#8 Southern Arkansas Team Info
Series with SAU since 2002: MWSU leads 4-1 - Home: 0-0 - Road: 0-0 - Neutral: 4-1 - Regional Tournament: 0-0
• The Griffons and the Muleriders have met five times since the 2002 season. The Griffons have won four of the five games but lost their last match-up by a score of 3-2 against the Lady Muleriders on February 17, 2013. The Griffons had the tying run thrown out in the bottom of the 7th in that game. The Griffons won the first meeting on Feb. 26, 2005 by a score of 5-3 and then on the next three by scores of 4-2 in 2009 and 8-1 and 10-1 in 2011. 
• The Lady Muleriders come into the tournament winning eight of the last nine including taking two against Southeastern Oklahoma State in the GAC Title game. They went 5-1 in the tournament defeating Arkansas-Monticello 9-3, Henderson State 8-0 and 3-1 and Southeastern Oklahoma State by scores of 4-0 and 8-0. They also lost to Southeastern Oklahoma State by a score of 9-2.
• As a team the Lady Muleriders are hitting .309 with one player hitting over .400 and five players hitting over .300. Southern Arkansas has 518 hits to go along with 81 doubles, two triples and 69 home runs. They have scored 328 runs with 302 RBI. 
• They are led by Shelby Miller who has a .420 batting average with 86 hits, 14 doubles and 14 RBI. She also has 144 total bases. Maddie Dow leads the team with 20 home runs and 60 RBI while Brooke Goad and Sarah Higginbotham are hitting .342. Goad had 15 home runs while Higginbotham has 69 hits and 15 doubles. 
• In the circle the Lady Muleriders have a 3.60 ERA in 405 innings. They have given up 208 earned runs and struck out 253. Hanna Gill leads Southern Arkansas with a 2.38 ERA in 18 games with 17 starts. She has a 12-4 record pitching 11 complete games with two shutouts. She has pitched 94 innings with 73 strikeouts. Shelby Miller has a 3.41 ERA with a 15-13 record. She has pitched 15 complete games with two shutouts and seven saves. She has pitched a team high 203 innings with 143 strikeouts. Miranda Cuff is 8-6 with a 4.53 ERA in 89.2 innings. She has given up 140 hits with just 29 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .293 against the SAU.  

ABOUT THE GRIFFONS...
The Griffons are 38-16 overall and 17-9 in MIAA after going 4-0 in the MIAA Tournament and winning the MIAA Tournament title for the first time in school history. The Griffons have played very well as of late winning 23 of their last 27 games which includes 18 of their last 20. 

The Griffons are hitting .298 as a team with 62 doubles and 52 home runs on the season. The Griffons have four players hitting over .300 on the season with Tiffany Gillaspy leading the charge with a .382 average. She has 68 hits, 39 runs scored, 12 home runs, 56 RBI and 116 total bases. Bre Fleschner is hitting .364 with 49 runs scored, 12 doubles and 60 hits. Sydney Washington has come on strong getting her average up to .304. She has 41 hits with 34 runs scored, 8 home runs and 31 RBI. She also leads the team with 17 stolen bases. Morgan Rathmann is hitting .333 with 44 hits, 4 doubles, 3 triples and 4 home runs. She is second on the team with 16 stolen bases. 

Griffon pitchers have a 2.04 ERA as a group. Jackie Bishop has thrown three no hitters this season. Bishop has 25-8 record with a 1.07 ERA. She has 11 shutouts on the season with 276 strikeouts in 228.0 innings. Janie Smith is 13-8 with a 3.68 ERA. She has two shutouts and 15 complete games. She has thrown 137.0 innings for the Griffons. Taylor Schaben seen her first action of her career against Lindenwood and Lincoln. She has thrown three innings giving up one hits with one strikeout. 

GRIFF NOTES...
• #1 Kat Steponovich --Is hitting .267  and is fourth on the team with 25 RBI. She has a hit in four of her last five games...is third on the team with seven home runs...also leads the team with 368  putouts from behind the plate...2014 MIAA Honorable Mention.
• #2 Brooke Schaben -- Has a hit in seven of her last 12 games and is hitting .256 with four homers and six doubles...she is third on the team with 27 RBI and has 40 hits with 22 runs scored.  
• #3 Jackie Bishop --  Jackie Bishop Missouri Western's all-time leader in victories with 95 is 25-8 on the season and threw her 4th career no-hitter in an 10-0 victory over St. Cloud State earlier this season...She was named the MIAA Atroturf/Pitcher of the Week four time this season...She has earned this honor 11 times in her career...She is also the Griffons all-time leader in strikeouts with 962 career strikeouts...she has a 1.07 ERA with 276 K's on the year which is a new single season record...she was named MIAA Pitcher of the Year for the second time in her career and named First Team All-MIAA for the fourth time in her career...she has 11 shutouts on the season and she tied her single season high for wins with 25 and broke her single game record for strikeouts with 17 against Northeastern State on May 2. 
• #4 Katie Klosterman -- Klosterman is a freshman from Omaha, Neb. where she played her high school softball at Millard West HS. She has played in 35 games with 32 starts...she is hitting .289 with 28 hits, 10 runs scored, 6 doubles and two home runs...she had a hit in three of four games last weekend and was named 2014 MIAA Honorable Mention.
• #5 Morgan Rathmann - Rathmann a freshman from Neosho, Mo. has played and started all 54 games in center field. She is hitting .333 with 44 hits and 30 runs scored. She has also stolen 16 bases. Had a season best three hits in the Griffons 5-4 victory over Northwest Missouri State...has a hit 9 of her last 11 games including her last five...had two home runs last weekend in the MIAA Tournament...2014 Honorable Mention.
• Sydney Washington - Washington is a freshman from Columbia, Mo. and has played and started all 46 games this season either in left field or at the dp. Washington is hitting .304 with 41 hits and 34 runs scored. She has 5 doubles, 8 home runs and 31 RBI. She has also stolen 17 bases...has a hit in her last four games including two home runs in the MIAA Tournament...hit two home runs in a 4-3 victory over Lindenwood...2014 MIAA Honorable Mention
• #7 Michelle Stevenson -- Has started all 54 games at second base...is hitting .238 with 38 hits. Eleven of her hits have been for extra bases as she has hit 7 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs. She has 18 RBI and is fourth on the team with five stolen bases...has a hit in seven of her last 11 games.
• #8 Kristin Lange -- A freshman from Elkhorn, Neb. played her high school softball at Elkhorn HS...she has played in six games with five at bats. 
• #9 Megan Korgie -- A freshman from Omaha, Neb. played her high school softball at Ralston HS...has played in three game with three at bats...had her first hit against Lincoln...hit a double and got an RBI.  
• #10 Sydney McCune -- A senior from Des Moines Area Community College..,she hit her first homer of her career against Northern State University last season..this season she has four at bats with two hits with one being a home run.  
• #11 Tiffany Gillaspy -- Has stared all 54 games at first base..leads the team with a .382 average...has 68 hits, 39 runs scored and 56 RBIs...has 12 home runs and 307 putouts...She has been named MIAA AstroTurf Hitter of the Week twice this season...2014 First Team All-MIAA...has had a hit in 20 of her last 22 games.
• #12 Taylor Anding -- Has started all 54 games with 44 hits and .284 batting average...has 24 runs scored, 5 home runs with 20 RBIs...has 74 putouts, 80 assists...had a hit in three of her last four games...had four hits in a doubleheader against Lincoln...hit her 5th homer of the year against Northeastern State on April 25...2014 MIAA Honorable Mention.
• #13 Taylor Schaben -- A freshman from Portsmouth, Iowa...has played in 12 games with one stolen base and one at bat...she saw her first action in the circle two weeks ago...she went three innings giving up one hits with one strikeout. 
• #14 Bre Fleschner -- Has started all 54 games in right or left field...is hitting .364 with 60 hits, 12 doubles and 18 RBI...Both of her home runs have been against Northwest Missouri State...went 8-for-8 against Northern State in a doubleheader last season...has a hit in 17 of her last 19 games...leads the team with a .480 on base percentage...2014 MIAA Honorable Mention.
• #15 Kailey Green -- Freshman from Kearney, Mo. who has played in 23 games with 19 starts. She has 14 RBI which includes four against Illinois-Springfield. She had three hits in that contest as well...hit a pinch hit home run in the MIAA Tournament Championship. 
• #17 Shelby Elliott -- A freshman from Platte City, Mo...has played in 27 games scoring nine runs while pinch running. 
• #18 Janie Smith -- Has pitched in 25 games with 19 starts...sits at 13-8 on the season with a 3.68 ERA...she has two shutouts with 64 K's...she is hitting .186 with eight hits which included her first home run of her career against Illinois-Springfield and her second against Washburn. 

GRIFFONS IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT SINCE 2002
In the tournament since 2002 the Griffons are 27-24 with their best finish coming this past week when they went 4-0 winning their first ever MIAA Tournament Title. They beat Northwest Missouri State 16-7, Central Oklahoma 10-1 and Northeastern State 3-1 and 12-0. The previous best finish came in 2012 and 2007 when they fell in the finals against Emporia State.  Last season Missouri Western defeated Truman State 5-3 before falling 3-0 against Fort hays State. The Griffons then defeated Northeastern State7-4 before falling 7-6 against Emporia State. 

GRIFFONS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT:
In the tournament the Griffons are 5-12 with their best finish being in 2009 when they went 2-2 falling 2-1 against Abilene Christina before defeating Central Missouri 3-1 and Abilene Christian 11-2. They fell 5-1 against Southeastern Oklahoma State. In 2011 the Griffons fell against 6-4 against #15 Nebraska-Omaha and 5-3 against #12 West Texas A&M. Both games were played in Canyon, Texas. In 2005 which was the Griffons first ever NCAA Tournament they went 1-2 in Emporia, Kan. beating Winona State 6-5 before falling 2-0 against Concorida-St. Paul and 5-0 against Truman State. In 2006 the Griffons went 1-2 falling to Nebraska-Omaha 11-0 and Concordia St. Paul 3-2 and beat Southwest Minnesota State 4-1. In 2007 the Griffons also went 1-2 falling to Minnesota State 4-1 and Emporia State 4-0. The Griffon defeated Winona State 7-0. In 2012 the Griffons fell 4-3 in eight innings against Texas Woman's and 2-1 against St. Edward's.  

UP NEXT...
If the Griffons win the regional tournament they will advance and play the winner of the Minnesota State, Emporia State, Central Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma State.