ST. JOSEPH – For the first time in program history, the Missouri Western baseball team will make back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

The Griffons will be the No. 6 seed in the Division II Central Regional and will face No. 3 seed St. Cloud State Thursday in Emporia, Kansas.

Emporia State was awarded the No. 1 seed. Missouri Western and Emporia State were two of four MIAA teams to make the regional, joining No. 4 seed Lindenwood and No. 7 seed Central Oklahoma.

Missouri Western advanced to the semifinals of the MIAA Baseball Championships after finishing second in the league standings by winning 13 of its final 14 regular season games. The Griffons went 3-2 at the MIAA tournament and will enter the regional tournament with a 32-20 record.

St. Cloud State (39-16) finished third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season and finished as runner-up to No. 2-seeded Minnesota State in the NSIC Baseball Championships.

Times for the double elimination tournament will be announced later.

No. 1 Emporia State vs. No. 8 Arkansas-Monticello
No. 2 Minnesota State vs. No. 7 Central Oklahoma
No. 3 St. Cloud State vs. No. 6 Missouri Western
No. 4 Lindenwood vs. No. 5 Southern Arkansas

— MWSU Athletics —