KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State softball will travel to Rogers State for the opening round of the MIAA Tournament on May 7-8 in Claremore, Oklahoma. This season's opening round will feature best-of-3 series with winners moving on to a four-team double-elimination bracket the following weekend in Edmond, Oklahoma. Fort Hays State is the No. 5 seed in the eight-team tournament, while Rogers State is the No. 4 seed.
The first two games of the Best-of-3 series will be on Friday (May 7) in a doubleheader starting at 3 pm at the Diamond Sports Complex, home of Rogers State. Should the teams split the doubleheader, they will return for the third game on Saturday (May 8) at 12 pm.
All of the games can be heard on KAYS (1400-AM, 94.3-FM).
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.
Fort Hays State will be making its first MIAA Tournament appearance since 2016 and 11th overall since joining the conference in 2006-07. This is the first-ever MIAA Tournament appearance for Rogers State, which became an associate member of the MIAA in 2019-20.
The Central Missouri/Washburn and Missouri Southern/Missouri Western series will be rematches of season finale doubleheaders.
Below are the opening-round matchups for the MIAA Tournament this weekend…
#1 seed Central Oklahoma (32-10) vs. #8 seed Northwest Missouri State (18-20) – Edmond, Okla.
#2 seed Central Missouri (31-11) vs. #7 seed Washburn (27-16) – Warrensburg, Mo.
#3 seed Missouri Southern (28-13-1) vs. #6 seed Missouri Western (27-17) – Joplin, Mo.
#4 seed Rogers State (30-13-1) vs. #5 seed Fort Hays State (24-20) – Claremore, Okla.
Winners of Best-of-3 series move on to double-elimination tournament May 13-16 in Edmond, Okla.