EDMOND, Ok. — After facing just three batters in her conference tournament debut last season, Sydney Rader rolled through Northeastern State with a one-hit shutout to give her Griffons the 4-0 win in round one of the 2022 MIAA Softball Championships.

All the No. 4 Griffons (28-20) needed were four runs threaded together in the third inning to take down the No. 5 RiverHawks, giving Rader (18-7) all the offense she needed. Chloe Armstrong sliced a single through the left side on an 0-2 count to plate Rachel Stewart and Sydni Hawkins. A pair of RBI singles from Bubba Hoelscher and Natalee Weber scored Emma Hoffart and Armstrong respectively, effectively bouncing NESU pitcher Savannah Evans (10-11) from the contest after two innings pitched.

Despite only giving up one hit, Rader walked five batters and hit another. Three of those walks came during the most crucial point of the game when the RiverHawks (28-24) made things uncomfortable in the top of the seventh.

With the bags packed, an 0-for-1 Delaney Mills stepped to the plate. Mills was one Rader's three strikeouts but had also walked earlier in the game. Rader's 3-2 pitch forced a grounder right back to the circle and completed a clutch start to the tournament. 

NOTABLES

• Sydni Hawkins: 2-for-4, 1 R
• Chloe Armstrong: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R
• Sydney Rader: 7 IP, 3 SO, 5 BB, 1 H, 1 HBP
• Joe Yegge: 1st postseason win as Griffon Softball's head coach
• Griffs win their ninth-straight game (season-high)
• There were multiple weather delays during game one (Emporia State vs. Washburn)

UP NEXT

Missouri Western takes it to the top of the bracket and will face No. 1 Washburn (43-11) on Friday at 4 p.m. The No. 23-nationally ranked Ichabods beat Emporia State in game one of the tourney, 8-0. Wasburn swept MWSU on April 1 by scores of 8-1 and 6-5.

THE BRACKET
SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 5
        GAME 1 | 1:00 PM | No. 1 seed Washburn 8, No. 8 seed Emporia State 0 | BOX SCORE
        GAME 2 | 3:30 PM | No. 4 seed Missouri Western 4, No. 5 seed Northeastern State 0 | BOX SCORE
        GAME 3 | 6:00 PM | No. 3 seed Rogers State 2, No. 6 seed Missouri Southern 1 | BOX SCORE
        GAME 4 | 8:30 PM | No. 2 seed Central Oklahoma 3, No. 7 seed Nebraska Kearney 4 | BOX SCORE
        Round one game times were delayed due to weather. 

Friday, May 6
        GAME 5 | 11:00 AM | No. 8 seed Emporia State vs. No. 5 seed Northeastern State – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 6 | 1:30 PM | No. 6 seed Missouri Southern vs. No. 2 seed Central Oklahoma – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 7 | 4:00 PM | No. 1 seed Washburn vs. No. 4 seed Missouri Western – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 8 | 6:30 PM | No. 3 seed Rogers State vs. No. 4 seed Nebraska Kearney – LIVE STATS | WATCH

Saturday, May 7 
        GAME 9 | 10:00 AM | Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 8 – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 10 | 12:30 PM | Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 7 – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 11 | 3:00 PM | Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8 – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 12 | 5:30 PM | Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10 – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 13 | 8:00 PM | Winner of Game 12 vs. Loser of Game 11 – LIVE STATS | WATCH

Sunday, May 8 
        GAME 14 | 1:30 PM | Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 13 – LIVE STATS | WATCH
        GAME 15 | If Necessary         
 
THE TICKETS + FOR THE FANS

• Costs: $30 Team All-Tournament Pass or $10 per game pass for adults and students
• Click here for tickets
• Passcode: Griffons2022Softball
• Per game passes will be available pending upon seating available on a per game basis.
• If there are no open seats available for any one individual game, the $10 per game pass will not be available
• Please note passes will no longer be available for sale after 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3.
• Fan Parking | Things To Do | Hotels | Dining | Map to Central Oklahoma