Fort Hays State Softball travels to play Rogers State in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament this weekend in Claremore, Oklahoma (May 7-8). The Tigers and Hillcats will play a best-of-3 series starting at 3 pm on Friday with winner moving on to a four-team double-elimination bracket the following weekend in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Game Coverage
Watch Live on MIAA Network (FREE)
Listen Live on KAYS (94.3-FM, 1400-AM)
Live Stats
Tickets
Tickets are $6 for General Admission. Children 4 and under are FREE.
BUY TICKETS ONLINE HERE
Location
Diamond Sports Complex
2901 W. Blue Starr Drive
Claremore, OK 74017
Tournament Information
Full FHSU Tournament Notes (PDF)
MIAA Tournament Bracket (PDF)
MIAA Tournament Program (PDF)
MIAA Tournament Homepage
FHSU vs. RSU Series Schedule
Game 1 – Friday, May 7, 3 PM
Game 2 – Friday, May 7, 5 PM
Game 3 – Saturday, May 8, 12 PM (If necessary)
Other MIAA Tournament Opening Round Matchups
#1 seed Central Oklahoma vs. #8 seed Northwest Missouri State – Edmond, Okla.
#2 seed Central Missouri vs. #7 seed Washburn – Warrensburg, Mo.
#3 seed Missouri Southern vs. #6 seed Missouri Western – Joplin, Mo.
Winners of Best-of-3 series move on to double-elimination tournament May 13-16 in Edmond, Okla.
FHSU Tournament Notes
FHSU and RSU Split in Hays
Fort Hays State (24-20) split its regular season doubleheader with Rogers State (30-13-1) in Hays back on April 23. The Hillcats took game one 2-0 before the Tigers took game two 3-1, so both teams are even in runs scored against each other this season.
First MIAA Tournament Appearance Since 2016
Fort Hays State will be making its first MIAA Tournament appearance since 2016. The Tigers missed the last three MIAA Tournaments contested, since there was no MIAA Tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing cancellation of play mid-season. The last time FHSU played in the MIAA Tournament, it was held at the ASA Hall of Fame complex in Oklahoma City.
11th MIAA Tourament Appearance Overall
Fort Hays State will be making its 11th appearance overall in the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers qualified for the tournament every year from 2007 to 2016. The Tigers have one MIAA Tournament Championship in their history as they claimed the 2013 tournament title. That year, the Tigers were the top seed in the NCAA Central Region and finished the season 47-12 overall, the best record in the program's NCAA Division II history, which dates back to 1999. The Tigers have made appearances in the MIAA Tournament Final twice, which included the 2013 season and also an appearance in 2011.
First Year of Best-of-3 Series
This is the first time the MIAA is using a Best-of-3 format for the opening round of the MIAA Softball Tournament. In all previous years since FHSU has been a member of the MIAA starting in 2006-07, the tournament has been a double elimination format at one location. The 4 teams that win Best-of-3 series this weekend will move on to the double-elimination format the following week in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Tigers as the No. 5 Seed in MIAA Tournament
Fort Hays State has a record of 3-2 as the No. 5 seed in the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers were the No. 5 seed just one time prior in their tenure with the MIAA. That was in 2010, when they advanced to the final game of the elimination bracket against Nebraska-Omaha. In that 2010 tournament, FHSU defeated #4 seed Central Missouri 6-0 in the opening round and lost to #1 seed Emporia State 3-2 on day one. They returned on day two of the tournament to win their first two elimination games - 8-4 over #6 seed Northwest Missouri State and 3-2 over #4 seed Central Missouri 3-2. The Tigers fell in their third and final contest that day, the last game of the elimination bracket, 8-3 to #2 seed Nebraska-Omaha. That was head coach Adrian Pilkington's senior year as a Tiger (then as Adrian Mohr), when she hit .360 with 29 extra-base hits, 50 RBIs, and went 11-of-12 in stolen base attempts. She was also utilized the in the pitching circle that season for 28 innings, posting a 2.75 ERA.
Looking for First MIAA Tourmament Win Since 2014
Fort Hays State will be looking for its first wins in the MIAA Tournament since the 2014 season. The Tigers went 0-2 in 2015 (No. 8 seed) and 2016 (No. 7 seed). FHSU's last tournament win was over Central Missouri in its tournament opener in 2014 by a score of 6-5, playing as the No. 4 seed that season. They went on to fall in their next two contests, so FHSU will be looking to snap a 6-game losing streak in MIAA Tournament games.
MIAA Tournament Records by Seed for FHSU
FHSU has an all-time MIAA Tournament record of 17-19. Here's a breakdown of their record in 36 tournament games...
#2 seed (4-1), #3 seed (2-4), #4 seed (1-2), #5 seed (3-2), #7 seed (4-4), #8 seed (3-6). FHSU was the No. 2 seed in 2013 when they won the MIAA Tournament.
4 is the Magic Number
Fort Hays State has seen tremendous success this season when reaching 4 or more runs in a game. They are 17-1 this year when scoring four or more, and the one loss was in a crazy 13-11 battle with Cameron University back on March 16 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The Tigers are a perfect 16-0 this season when scoring between 4 and 9 runs.
Holding Opponents in Check
The 17-1 mark in games where FHSU scores 4 or more this season goes hand-in-hand with Fort Hays State's pitching staff holding opponents to 4 runs or less in 36 of the 44 games this season. When holding the opponent to 3 runs or less, the Tigers are 21-7 this season.
Success in the Circle
Fort Hays State's team ERA of 2.51 is its lowest in the last eight seasons. It is the first team ERA under 3.00 for FHSU since the 2013 season, when that Tiger team posted a school-record 1.94 ERA. Subsequently, the 2013 team was the most successful in program history finishing with a 47-12 record and hosting the NCAA Central Region as the No. 1 seed. Right now, the 2021 team's ERA stands as the 6th-best in school history.
Nelson and Breckbill Named All-MIAA
Fort Hays State received two selections to the All-MIAA Softball Team for the 2021 season. Michaelanne Nelson is a second-team selection at pitcher, while Sara Breckbill is an honorable mention selection at utility/non-pitcher. This is the first all-conference selection for Nelson at Fort Hays State, while Breckbill now has three All-MIAA honors in her career at FHSU (2019 - Second Team Catcher, 2018 - First Team Utility/Non-Pitcher).
2 NCAA Tournament Appearances
Fort Hays State has made two NCAA Tournament appearances in its Division II history, which dates back to 1999. Both times the Tigers went to the NCAA Tournament, they were conference tournament champions. The Tigers won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament in 2003 and went on to play in the South Central Regional San Antonio, Texas where they lost to Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Tigers claimed the MIAA Tournament in 2013 and served as a Central Regional host. They went 2-2 in that regional, defeating both Emporia State and Minot State, but fell twice to Central Oklahoma, which went on to win the NCAA Division II National Championship that season at 51-11 overall going undefeated through the entire NCAA Tournament (9-0 - regional, super regional, and championship site).
Second-Straight Winning Season Clinched
Regardless of how deep the Tigers go in the postseason, they have already clinched a winning season for 2021. With everything being double elimination from here on out, the Tigers are mathematically locked to finish above .500. This is the second-straight winning season for the Tigers, including the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season when the Tigers went 15-13 in 28 games. This is the second winning season under head coach Adrian Pilkington, now in her seventh season. The Tigers finished just one game below .500 twice under Pilkington prior to 2020, posting a record of 26-27 in Pilkington's first year (2015) and 24-25 in her fifth year (2019). Two more wins by the Tigers this season would match a season high under Pilkington's guidance.
Third MIAA Tournament Appearance Under Pilkington
Fort Hays State will be making its third MIAA Tournament appearance under the guidance of Adrian Pilkington. The Tigers will be looking for their first tournament win during her watch as they have gone 0-4 so far in the two previous tournament appearances (2015 and 2016). The No. 5 seed this season is the highest the Tigers have been seeded during her time as head coach as they held the No. 8 seed in 2015 and No. 7 seed in 2016. Rogers State is the first non-Missouri team the Tigers have faced in the MIAA Tournament during Pilkington's tenure. Pilkington is 0-2 against Central Missouri, 0-1 against Missouri Western, and 0-1 against Northwest Missouri State in previous tournament games.
First MIAA Tournament for Entire Roster
This will be the first MIAA Tournament for all of Fort Hays State's players. Lily Sale and Hailey Chapman are the only Tiger seniors playing in their 5th year at Fort Hays State and their careers began in 2017, a year after Fort Hays State's last MIAA Tournament appearance.
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