Oklahoma City, Okla. - The Missouri Southern Softball Lions will be making their first MIAA Post-Season Tournament appearance under head coach Melissa Chmielewski on Thursday when they open play as the fourth seed.

"We are really excited about heading to the conference tournament," said Chmielewski. "It has been our goal all year just to get back and experience it so we can set a new standard for Missouri Southern Softball."

The Lions (26-27, 16-10 MIAA) finished their regular season 14-4 in their last 18 games, while the pitching staff of senior Sydney Koch, sophomore Taurean Guzman, and freshman Mikaela Cox combined to allow 20 runs in the last 12 with five shut outs and one no-no.

During that same span the Southern offense managed 57 runs while being shut out just twice as they put together win streaks of five and six games. Junior Abi Corbett continues to lead not only NCAA D-2 but all divisions in total hits with 91 (a Southern single season record), she is just three hits away from tying the MIAA record set last season by Central Oklahoma's Morgan Heard. Corbett's 54 runs scored is also a single season record surpassing Krissy Konkol (1992) & Pam Brewer (1996) at 47.

Junior Myranda Stewart also set a school single season record as she drove in 54 runs passing Katrina Marshall (1992) at 49 RBIs. Stewart led the team in doubles (12), home runs (6), and walks (19). Stewart and junior Shelby Friend have struck out a team low nine times.

Freshman Erika Lutgen set a Southern and MIAA single game record with 10 RBIs in a game. All ten came via the long ball as Lutgen drilled a grand slam and two three-run home runs in an 11-7 win over Illinois-Springfield at the Arkansas-Monticello Eight State Classic on February 18, 2017. For that performance, Lutgen was not only named the MIAA Athlete of the Week but she was also named the Louisville Slugger / NFCA D-II National Player of the Week.

Guzman led the pitching staff with 155 and two-thirds innings of work with an ERA of 3.46 while Koch added 126 innings and led the team in ERA at 3.28. Cox allowed a team low 16 walks in just 25 appearances while Koch held her opponents to a team low .264 batting average. Guzman led the strike out count at 76 with Koch adding 67 and Cox coming in with 22.

On the season Chmielewski said, "This season has had its fair share of ups and downs. We scheduled that tough preseason and it was definitely rough, but it paid off and we are playing at a whole new level now.  I am extremely proud of the team we have become and excited to see what this weekend holds."

The Lions will open the MIAA Tournament with a 5 p.m. game on field two of the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex against fifth seeded Missouri Western.

"Missouri Western will be a tough opponent, we played them in a couple of good games a few weeks ago and I know they've found their bats a little more since then," added Chmielewski. "We are going to have to play well, but we still believe the pressure is on them. No one predicted us to finish where we are so we get to go into this tournament ready to prove some people wrong."

Southern swept the Griffons in their series this season 2-0 and 4-3. Koch allowed just five hits and struck out five while earning the win in game one shut out. Guzman picked up the win in game two allowing just one earned run on six hits with five strike outs.