ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Softball (20-5, 1-1 MIAA) goes on the road to the Sooner State to play Northeastern State (16-9, 3-1 MIAA) on Friday and Rogers State (17-9, 1-3 MIAA) on Saturday in what will be the first MIAA road games of the season for MoWest.
Friday's games start at 3 and 5 p.m. at Riverhawks Park in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, while Saturday's doubleheader is slated for 1 and 3 p.m. at RCB Bank Sports Complex in Claremore.
Both doubleheaders are available to watch on the MIAA Network with a subscription. Live stats are available for all games as well.
Where We Left Off
Griffon Softball split its MIAA-opening doubleheader with Fort Hays State this past Saturday at MWSU Spring Sports Complex in St. Joseph. Fort Hays State took game one 6-5 before the Griffons responded with a 3-1 victory in game two to earn the split.
In the opener, Fort Hays State struck first with a run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. MoWest answered in the third inning with two runs to move ahead 2-1.
The Griffons extended their advantage in the fifth inning, adding three runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Tigers rallied in the sixth inning, scoring five runs to reclaim the lead at 6-5. MoWest finished with 11 hits, but could not push across the tying run late.
MoWest bounced back in game two behind a strong pitching performance from
Torie Sandoval.
MoWest struck first in the third inning when
Ayva McComas launched a two-run home run to left center, scoring
Kalee Higdon and giving the Griffons a 2-0 lead.
Fort Hays State answered in the fifth inning as Lilly Mohr hit a solo home run to left center to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Griffons responded in the bottom half of the inning.
Kenedee Giddens came around to score after
Sydney Young reached first on a Fort Hays State throwing error, extending the MoWest lead to 3-1. The run was unearned.
Season Outlook
Griffon Softball was picked to finish 7
th out of 13 teams in the MIAA this season, per the preseason coaches' poll. MoWest received 84 points in the voting, sitting behind Washburn in 6
th place and ahead of 8
th place Emporia State.
The Griffons, under second year head coach
Nicole Thompson, are coming off of a 32-21 mark in 2025, including a 12-12 record in MIAA play. MoWest, who's won 30 games or more in each of the last four seasons, qualified for the MIAA softball tournament last season, falling to Pittsburg State 10-7 in the quarterfinal round.
MoWest brings back a strong core of talent this season with 11 returners total, including four of the top five hitters and two starting pitchers from last season. The Griffons bring back five players who started 46 games or more in 2025, and eight players who started 16 games or more.
The Griffons also added 11 players – seven transfers and four freshmen. Three of the new players are pitchers, while eight position players were added as well. Of the seven transfers, four of them come from the NCAA Division I level.
Looking Ahead
MoWest is back home the following weekend for a pair of doubleheaders against Central Missouri on Friday, March 27 and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday, March 28. Friday's games start at 2 and 4 p.m., with Saturday's slated for 12 and 2 p.m.
Fight On 50
The 2025-26 season marks the 50
th season of Griffon Softball and of women's athletics at Missouri Western State University. Softball has been a key part of that history as one of the four original women's programs that started in 1975-76.
Since that time, Griffon Softball has won 1314 games with 14 national tournament bids (11 NCAA + 3 NAIA), one NAIA national title (1982) and four MIAA championships (two tournament, two regular season).
MoWest's 20-5 start this season is the best start to a season in program history.
