OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Griffon Softball started the MIAA Tournament with two hard-fought, low-scoring victories to move on to the winner side of the bracket in defense of the team's regular season championship.
 
Missouri Western will face the winner of the Central Oklahoma, Northwest Missouri game at 1:30 on Friday. The game was originally scheduled for 4 p.m., but forecasted storms have forced the MIAA to re-schedule Friday games.
 
GAME 2: MWSU 1, Pittsburg State 0 (9 innings)
Freshman Taylor Hamilton ended the game with a leadoff walk-off home run to left center in the bottom of the ninth. It was just the third hit of the game for the Griffons off MIAA Pitcher of the Year Emmie Robertson. Hamilton had two of the Griffons' three hits on the night. Kailey Green collected the other, a double.
 
Janie Smith did her best to match Robertson's performance, earning her eighth complete game shutout of the season. Smith didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning and limited the Gorillas to five in the game. She struck out five and walked four. The senior got a tremendous effort from her defense as Missouri Western a pair of crucial double plays and committed just one error.
 
GAME 1: MWSU 2, Southwest Baptist 1
Paige Shifflett delivered what proved to be the game winning hit in the sixth, with an RBI single to right center that scored Morgan Rathmann from second base.
 
With one down in the inning, Rathmann singled up the middle then stole second with Shelbie Atwell batting. Atwell struck out which set up Shifflett's single on the ninth pitch of the at bat. Missouri Western got on the board in the first on an unearned run scored by Atwell. Shifflett was caught stealing second, then a throw to try to catch Atwell off the bag at third went wide and allowed the shortstop to score.
 
Southwest Baptist scored its run in the fifth on a bases loaded hit by pitch. Shyanne Saladino danced around trouble throughout the game, but managed to limit the Bearcats' scoring opportunities. The senior picked up her 20^th win of the season, allowing eight hits. She struck out three and walked two while hitting two batters. Shifflett went 2-3 at the plate and was the only Griffon with more than one hit in the game.