ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western softball (21-18, 8-10 MIAA) is back home for a big weekend of games – first against Washburn on Friday and then against Emporia State Saturday.

First pitch times for Friday are set for 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday's will start at noon and 2 p.m.

All of the games will be broadcast on the Griffon Sports Network (Varsity Network App, GoGriffons.com/listen) and will be available to stream on the MIAA Network.

Last Time Out
Missouri Western was swept at No. 23 Pittsburg State Tuesday, dropping the first game 2-0 and then 5-4 on a walkoff in the second at the PSU Softball Field.

GAME 1: No. 23 Pitt State 2 Missouri Western 0
Missouri Western was held to just two hits, as Pitt State scored a run in both the third and the sixth inning.

Sydney Rader (15-7) took the loss, going 6 innings and striking out five. She walked four and was charged with five hits and two earned runs.

GAME 2: No. 23 Pitt State 5 Missouri Western 4
Missouri Western nabbed a 4-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Myah Dwyer had a three-run bomb in the fourth to get the Griffs to that point.

Pitt answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth and then a two-run homer in the fifth.

Trailing 4-3 with bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, PSU's Amaya Snyder grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice, allowing the winning run to score.

Harley Pruetting made the start in Game 2, going the first 4.2 innings, striking out three and walking one. She was tagged with five hits and three earned runs.

Ashlyn Finarty tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and a walk.

Sydney Rader (15-8) came on in the seventh in relief and took the loss in 0.2 innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs. She struck out one and walked one.

Thompson Time
Missouri Western softball has begun a new chapter in its storied history, as head coach Nicole Thompson is currently in her first season as the seventh head coach in program history.

Hired last June, Thompson came to the Griffons from NCAA Division II Regis University in Colorado, and is fresh off a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament championship and an NCAA South Central Regional appearance in 2024.

In her five seasons as head coach at Regis, Thompson compiled a 132-101 overall record, leading the Rangers to 33 wins or more in each of her last three seasons. Her 2024 team swept its way to the RMAC Tournament title as a No. 5 seed and earned the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015. The Rangers also then defeated #1 nationally ranked West Texas A&M in the tournament's opening round. 
 
Prior to Regis, Thompson spent three seasons as head softball coach at NAIA Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky.. Thompson compiled an overall record of 82-70, while her Appalachian Athletic Conference record was a remarkable 50-20. She guided her team to third-place finishes in 2017 and 2018, earning AAC Coach of the Year honors in 2017. 
 
Thompson had a unique start to her coaching career. Originally accepting a position as the Assistant Director for Communications at Union College in February 2016, Thompson served as the Interim Head Coach beginning in September 2016 before being named the full-time head coach.
  
Thompson was a dual-sport athlete in college, competing in both softball and basketball for NAIA Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. As a softball player, she was a three-time All-KCAC First-Team selection at shortstop. Her team won two KCAC regular season championships and one KCAC Tournament title, while also making two NAIA National Tournament appearances (2012, 2013).

Joining Thompson on staff is pitching and catching coach Steffany Dickerson. Before MWSU, Dickerson was a graduate assistant at the University of Kansas and contributed to the Jayhawks' seven Top 25 victories in 2023 and '24.

Steffany was a standout starting pitcher at Missouri State who received numerous accolades, including MVC Pitcher of the Year and MVC All-Tournament MVP. She completed her collegiate career with an impressive ERA of 2.24 and 530 strikeouts.

Guess Who's Back
Missouri Western returns 11 players from a 2024 team that went 31-20 overall and 13-13 in the MIAA.

The Griffons return seven of their top eight hitters from a season ago - all seven of whom started 43 games or more. Shortstop Kalee Higdon returns after garnering second-team all-MIAA honors last year. Outfielder Mackenzie DeVine is now a two-time all-MIAA selection, picking up honorable mention honors last season.

In the circle, the Griffons return three-time all-MIAA senior Sydney Rader, who earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last season. Rader went 15-7 last year, striking out 149 in 161.2 innings. MWSU also brings back starters in Harley Pruetting and Ashlyn Finarty. Finarty was honorable mention all-MIAA in 2024, while Pruetting was an honorable mention all-conference pitcher in 2023.

Rader's Last Hurrah
In Rader's last go-around at Missouri Western, the fifth-year senior has been downright dominant in the circle. Rader currently ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in wins (15), complete games (19), innings pitched (141.0), strikeouts (135), second in complete game shutouts (6) and fourth in ERA (1.84).
 
Her six shutouts are fifth most among all pitchers in NCAA Division II, her 19 complete games are third most in the nation, the 141.0 innings pitched are 11^th most and her 15 wins are tied for 17^th most in the country.
 
Rader has also scattered her name across the Missouri Western career record books. As of April 10, 2025, Rader ranks in the top five in program history in each of the following:

• 2.20 ERA (2nd)
• 61 Ws (3^rd)
• 119 appearances (4th)
• 96 games started (5^th) – one shy of tying Jonnelle Belger for 4^th
• 613.2 IP (4th)
• 579 K (2nd)
• 2623 batters faced (5th)
• .232 career opponent batting average (4th)
• 62 complete games (5th)
• 20 shutouts (tied with Janie Smith for 2nd)

New Kids on the Block
Missouri Western added 10 new players to its roster in the offseason - five freshmen and six transfers. Joining Coach Thompson from Regis are C/UTL Rachel Barriga, catcher Sydney Young and outfielder Sienna Reed.

Barriga made 42 starts for Regis last year and batted .304. Young made 49 starts as a freshman last season at Regis, batting .275 on the year. Reed started a combined 103 games in two seasons at Regis, where she had a career batting average of .275 and a career slug percentage of .426. Reed was an honorable mention all-RMAC selection at Regis last season as well.

Outfielder Ella Fitzpatrick joins MWSU from Division I Lipscomb University. Fitzpatrick had also played at Iowa Western Community College, helping the Reivers to a NJCAA World Series Appearance in 2024. In that season, Fitzpatrick had a huge impact, batting .345 with a .593 slug. She scored 49 runs on 50 hits, including eight home runs.

A couple more JUCO stars join Missouri Western in 2025. Infielder Lauren Newlin had a terrific year last year at Central Arizona College, batting .343 in 40 games. Another infielder, shortstop Ayva McComas, joins MWSU from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado, where she was an NJCAA All-American, collecting a combined 53 HRs and 159 RBIs in two seasons.

Two-Sport Stars
The Griffons added some pitching help as well, borrowing All-American thrower Makenzie Garr from MWSU Track and Field. Garr, in her sophomore year, is no stranger to softball. The St. Joseph native was an all-city and all-district pitcher for St. Joseph Central, helping the Indians to a district championship game appearance in 2022. She recorded 185 strikeouts in her senior season alone.

Missouri Western will also have Griffon soccer keeper Morgan Byrd playing infield this spring. Byrd had a terrific softball career at Papillion-La Vista High School in Nebraska, helping the Monarchs to state titles in 2020 and 2023. She earned all-state honors in 2023 as well.

Welcoming our Kansas neighbors
Washburn (27-16, 9-7 MIAA) comes in on Friday, having won three games in a row, including a home sweep against Newman on Monday.

Washburn is the MIAA leader in doubles (77), walks drawn (153) and saves. Sadie Walker is their ace pitcher, ranking fourth in the MIAA with 113 strikeouts. Some of Washburn's win this season include triumphs over No. 12 Mississippi College, No. 6 Rogers State and No. 20 McKendree.

Washburn has taken eight of the last nine meetings against Missouri Western since 2021.

Emporia State (25-17, 6-10 MIAA) looks to break a four-game losing streak, having just completed an eight-game home stand.

The Hornets rank second in the MIAA in stolen bases (86). Brooke Flewelling is ESU's best bat, ranking second in the league with 11 home runs this season.

Jordan Harrison is the lead threat in the circle, ranking 5^th in the MIAA with 109 strikeouts and third in the league with 13 wins.

Missouri Western has won 10 of their last 12 games against ESU dating back to 2019.