Tournament website | MWSU Season Stats
 
ST. JOSEPH – The defending MIAA Tournament champions are set to begin their title defense, Thursday, when Griffon Softball opens postseason play with a rivalry matchup.
 
The Griffons enter as the four-seed after entering the final weekend of the regular season tied for second place. MWSU split a doubleheader with Washburn and was swept in a twin bill versus then No. 20 Emporia State last weekend to drop to fourth in the MIAA standings. Fifth seeded Northwest Missouri State awaits the Griffons in the first round of the tournament.
 
There may be no two teams in the MIAA more familiar with one another. Aside from playing four games this season, the Griffons and Bearcats traded opponents most weekends, leaving few secrets between the rivals. MWSU took three games of four from Northwest Missouri this season, sweeping a conference doubleheader in St. Joseph and splitting a non-conference doubleheader in Maryville. All four games were tightly contested with a couple comeback threats stopped short and a pair of pitchers' duels in the series.
 
THE GRIFFONS
MWSU finished the regular season with a 33-17 overall record and a 17-9 mark in MIAA play after losing three of its final four games.
 
Tiffany Gillaspy leads the Griffon offense, as she has most of the season. A national player of the week and MIAA hitter of the week winner, Gillaspy is one of 25 finalists for the national player of the year. The senior infielder leads the Griffons in batting average (.376), slugging percentage (.715), runs (46), hits (62), RBIs (46), home runs (14) and total bases (118). Gillaspy also enters postseason play in the top-five of at least six MWSU career offensive categories. She is just three home runs shy of breaking the MWSU career record (39).
 
While Gillaspy has scuffled some of late, several of her teammates have been heating up at the plate. Shortstop Shelbie Atwell has batted .414 in her last 10 games. The freshman has went 12-29 in those games with seven RBIs. Morgan Rathmann has also heated up recently. The sophomore is batting .364 in her last 10 games and .354 on the season. Rathmann leads the MIAA and sits third in the nation with eight triples this season.
 
In the circle, it's been all about Janie Smith and Shyanne Saladino. The junior duo has split all 33 starts for the team this season. Smith is 17-9 with a 2.67 ERA in 168 innings pitched. She has struck out 111 batters and holds a 1.94 ERA in MIAA games. Saladion is 16-7 with a 2.73 ERA in 136 innings pitched. Both Smith and Saladino have been named MIAA Pitcher of the Week once this season.
 
COACH JEN BAGLEY TROTTER
Coach Trotter is in her 14^th season at the helm of Griffon Softball. The program's all-time wins leader, Trotter is 487-292 in her career at MWSU. This season was the 10^th time she has led the team to 30 wins or more in a season. She is a three-time MIAA Coach of the Year, holding one MIAA regular season championship (2011) and one postseason tournament title (2014). Trotter has also led the Griffons to the NCAA Regional seven times in the last nine years and sits in a position to make it eight of 10 as the team currently sits sixth in the regional rankings with the top-eight making the field.
 
Trotter records
Overall: 487-292
MIAA: 183-103
In MIAA Tournament: 26-24
vs. Northwest Missouri State: 27-17 (17-5 since 2009)
vs. Northwest Missouri State in MIAA Tournament: 3-3 (3-0 since 2010—last loss in 2008)
 
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS
Northwest finished the regular season 24-22 overall and 16-10 in the MIAA. The Bearcats won three of their final four games, splitting a doubleheader with Emporia State and sweeping Washburn.
 
The Bearcats counter Tiffany Gillaspy with Stephanie Mark. The first baseman leads the team in batting average (.403), slugging percentage (.745), on base percentage (.468), runs (41), hits (60), RBIs (44), home runs (13) and total bases (111). Shockingly, Mark was held hitless in 11 official at bats against MWSU this season. Rebecca Maher is batting .348, while Chantel Adams leads the team with 12 doubles.
 
Kendle Schieber is 10-6 in the circle with a 2.28 ERA. She has struck out 107 batters in 110.2 innings of work. Sarah Baldwin has pitched 141 innings for Northwest. She carries a 10-8 record with her 3.23 ERA.
 
The winner of Thursday's game will advance to play either top-seeded Central Missouri or eighth-seeded Fort Hays State at approximately 8 p.m Thursday. The loser of the Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri game will face the loser of the Central Missouri, Fort Hays State game. 

LISTEN LIVE
The voice of the Griffons Dave Riggert will broadcast both games on Thursday. The first game will be carried on 680 KFEQ with the second game on ESPN 1550. Links to stream the broadcasts live can be found at the top of the page.