OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Missouri Western softball team had its MIAA Tournament Championship defense stopped Friday night by top seeded Central Missouri. The Griffons fell 3-1 to the MIAA regular season champions as they came up one game shy of playing for the title again.

MWSU finished 3-2 at the MIAA tournament as they are now 36-19 on the season.

Missouri Western fell behind 2-0 and had a good chance to tie in the fourth but had the threat halted when Tiffany Gillaspy was caught in a run-down between third base and home. Morgan Rathmann led off the inning with a single and then stole second with Sydney Washington batting. Washington flew out then Tiffany Gillaspy singled and advanced to second, putting two runners in scoring position with one out. Paige Shifflett put the Griffons on the board with an RBI single to center that put Gillaspy on third and Shifflett advanced to second on the throw. After Kailey Green popped up to the shortstop Gillaspy was thrown out in a run-down with Klosterman batting. A wild pitch went off the home plate umpire’s foot and bounced right back to the catcher, freezing Gillaspy between third and home.

Central Missouri added another run in the bottom half of the fourth. The Griffons got the first two batters on in the fifth with Brooke Schaben leading off with a single but she was out on a force play with Rathmann reaching on a fielder’s choice. Rathmann stole second with Washington batting again and Washington line out to center to record the second out. Gillaspy was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with two out. Shifflett hit into a fielder’s choice and Washington was forced out to end the inning.

Janie Smith went the distance again, pitching all but two innings of the Griffons’ four games in the tournament, 33 innings in all. She fell to 18-11 with the loss, giving up three runs on eight hits. Her offense gave her just four hits, one each coming from Rathmann, Gillaspy, Shifflett and Schaben.

The team will now await its postseason fate when NCAA Regional selections are announced on May 4. The Griffons came into the weekend ranked sixth in the region, with the top-eight advancing on to the regional tournament.

— MWSU Sports Information —