ST. JOSEPH – The 2017 Missouri Western softball team qualified for the program’s fourth straight NCAA Central Regional appearance and the 10th in the last 13 seasons.

The 2017 senior class became the first in program history to make four regional appearances and the program joined women’s basketball as the only two Missouri Western athletic programs to make at least four straight regional appearances.

Missouri Western will be the No. 8 seed in the Searcy, Arkansas sub-regional hosted by No. 1 seeded Harding. The Griffons will open play on May 11 against Harding, tentatively scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The Lady Bisons are the only team in the Searcy sub-regional the Griffons faced this season. Harding defeated the Griffons 8-0 in Missouri Western’s second game of the season.

The Searcy sub-regional also includes No. 4 seed Winona State and No. 5 seed Southern Arkansas. The other half of the central regional will be hosted by No. 2 seed Minnesota State and will also include No. 3 seed Central Oklahoma, No. 6 seed Pittsburg State and No. 7 seed Augustana.

— MWSU Athletics —