ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western softball team will be the No. 5-seed in this week’s MIAA Softball Championships and will open postseason play with its rival Northwest Missouri State.

Missouri Western will open the postseason tournament against No. 4-seed Northwest Missouri State at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 26. The double-elimination tournament will be played at ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The Griffons ended the regular season in a tie for fifth with Northeastern State, but earned the No. 5 seed by way of their regular season sweep of the RiverHawks on March 22. Missouri Western finished with a record of 24-27 with a 15-11 mark in the MIAA. Northwest Missouri went 25-17 overall and 16-10 in the MIAA. The two teams split their lone regular season doubleheader on March 27 in Maryville. MWSU took game one, 8-0 in five innings before dropping game two, 1-0.

With a win in its first game, Thursday, Missouri Western will face the winner of No. 1 Washburn versus No. 8 Emporia State at 7:30 p.m. A loss against Northwest Missouri and the Griffons will see the loser of the same game at the same time.

Tickets for the MIAA Championships are $10 for adults per day. Student tickets are $5 with children 6 and under admitted free. Gates will open Thursday at 3 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 4:30 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —