WEEKEND PREVIEW
#16 GRIFFON SOFTBALL AT RONNIE HAWKINS INVITATIONAL | Tournament Website
Saturday, Feb. 6
Noon vs. Harding | Live Stats
3 p.m. at Ouachita Baptist | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 6
9 a.m. vs. Arkansas Monticello | Live Stats
2 p.m. vs. Harding | Live Stats
 
WATCH: Hard-Hitting Griffs Swing for Fences in 2016

ST. JOSEPH – Sixteenth-ranked Griffon Softball kicks off the 2016 season this weekend with a trip to Arkadephia, Arkansas for the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational.
 
Missouri Western will play four games in two days to begin the even that is split between the campuses of Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University. The Griffons will face Harding twice, co-host Ouachita Baptist once and Arkansas-Monticello once.
 
Missouri Western enters as the only MIAA team ranked in the AFCA Preseason Poll, but was picked fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Head Coach Jen Bagley is coming off her 10^th 30-win season in her first 14 years at MWSU. This year's team features seven returning starters and nine letter winners from a squad that went 36-21 overall in 2015. Last year the team finished 17-9 in MIAA play, good for fourth in the conference standings. The Griffons qualified for their eighth NCAA Regional in the last 11 seasons. Bagley Trotter enters her 15^th season just 10 wins shy of 500 for her career, all at Missouri Western (490-296, 183-103 MIAA).
 
Headlining this year's returners are 2015 All-MIAA selections Janie Smith (2^nd team, Pitcher), Morgan Rathmann (2^nd team , outfielder), Paige Shifflett (2^nd team, designated player) and Katie Klosterman (honorable mention, third baseman). Rathmann (.354), Shifflett (.347) and Klosterman (.338) finished second, third and fourth respectively in batting average last season for MWSU. Rathmann set a program record with nine triples and slugged .545 as the team's primary leadoff hitter in 2015. Shifflett was a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year after slugging .553 with a team-high .416 on-base percentage. The freshman finished tied with 2016 returner Kailey Green for the second most RBIs on the team (43) and her nine home runs were third, just behind Green's 10. The addition of freshman catcher Taylor Hamilton gives Missouri Western its home state's all-time high school home run record holder (Hamilton) and the number three all-time home run hitter in the Show-Me state (Sydney Washington).
 
The Griffons return their two primary pitchers from a season ago. Smith led the team in wins (19-13), ERA (2.69), innings pitched (213) and strikeouts (134). The senior split time with Shyanne Saladino through most of 2015 before an injury cut Saladino's season short. Shyanne finished 2015 with a 17-7 record, 2.73 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 136 innings pitched. The two are expected to share the load again in 2016 with Smith expected to be the game one starter.
 
HARDING AT A GLANCE
The Griffons will play Harding twice this weekend, then will turn around and open the UAM 8-State Classic with the Lady Bisons next weekend. Harding enters the weekend 2-0 already on the season with two wins over Christian Brothers. Kimmy Hendricks and Ashley Smith were named GAC Players of the Week for their performances in week one. Hendricks had four hits, a grand slam, seven RBIs and three runs scored. Smith went 1-0 and did not allow an earned run.
 
Phil Berry is in his third season as the head coach at Harding, holding a 57-58 career record.
 
OUACHITA BAPTIST AT A GLANCE
Co-Host Ouachita Baptist was picked 11^th in the 2016 GAC Preseason Coaches Poll. All-GAC selections Sarah Johnson and Kate Lacina lead a group that is coming off an 11-35 finish in 2015. Johnson led the Tigers in eight offensive categories as a freshman, including batting average, slugging percentage and on base percentage. Ouachita Baptist is coached by Mike McGhee.
 
ARKANSAS-MONICELLO AT A GLANCE
Picked eighth in the GAC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Blossoms are coming off a 24-25 season in 2015. Thirteen letter winners return this season including 2015 All-GAC selections Kalki Piha and Holly Wilmarth. UAM will be breaking in new pitchers in 2016 after losing All-GAC pitcher Katie Slaughter. Alvy Early is in his 20^th year as a head coach and holds an all-time record of 679-371-2).