EMPORIA, Kan. — Top seeded and No. 7-ranked
Missouri Southern softball (46-7) earned a hard-fought 2–1 victory over No. 9 seeded Washburn (36-19) in the Quarterfinals of the 2026 MIAA Softball Tournament on Thursday at Trusler Sports Complex, advancing to the Semifinals. The Lions were powered by a dominant pitching performance from
Kiki Pickens that produced nine strikeouts across seven innings while holding Washburn to just one run.
Missouri Southern secured a narrow victory over Washburn with a final score of 2–1.
In the first inning,
Taylor Nuckolls singled to third base and advanced to second on a fielder's choice.
Carsen Tinkler then singled to center field, driving in Nuckolls for the first run. The inning concluded with Missouri Southern leading 1–0.
The third inning saw
Katie Gray reach base with a single and advance to second on a fielding error, followed by
Micah Snider entering as a pinch runner. Snider advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error, extending the Lions' lead. At the end of the inning, the score was 2–0 in favor of Southern.
In the seventh inning, Washburn attempted a comeback with Kate Dolan scoring on a single by Makenzie Sais. However, MSSU maintained its lead and closed out the game with a final score of 2–1.
Nuckolls led the offensive effort with two hits, one run, and a stolen base. Tinkler contributed significantly by driving in two runs with her hit. Snider added to the scoring by crossing home plate once as a pinch runner.
Pickens, the 2026 MIAA Pitcher of the Year, delivered a complete-game performance, pitching all seven innings for the Lions. She allowed just four hits and one earned run while striking out nine batters. Pickens' control was tested with three walks and one hit batter, but she maintained composure, throwing 68 strikes out of 104 pitches. This outing improved her season record to 20-3.
MSSU captured its 46th win of the season Thursday which matches both the 1996 season (46-10) and 1986 season (46-13). The Lions' 46 wins rank tied for third all-time in Southern program history.
Missouri Southern advances to the Semifinals of the 2026 MIAA Softball Tournament and will face the winner of No. 4 seeded Emporia State and No. 5 seeded Central Missouri on Friday at noon in Emporia, Kansas.
