ROLLA, Mo. -- No. 6 Missouri S&T softball is set to return to NCAA postseason play this week, opening the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional against No. 3 Findlay on Thursday, May 14 at 3:30 p.m. at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois. 

 

The appearance marks Missouri S&T's third trip to the NCAA Midwest Regional after previously qualifying in 2007 and 2024. The Miners made their first regional appearance in 2007, opening the tournament with a win over Lewis before dropping their next two contests. In 2024, Missouri S&T fell to UIndy and Lewis in regional play. Missouri S&T enters this year's regional with a 36-17 overall record after posting a historic regular season that included a program-record 22 conference victories and a runner-up finish in the GLVC standings. 

 

Findlay enters regional play with a 39-12 overall record and an 18-6 mark in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play after capturing the GMAC Tournament title. The Oilers have been one of the top offensive teams in the region this season, batting .339 as a team with 367 runs, 105 doubles, and 43 home runs while posting a 3.25 team ERA.  

 

Missouri S&T counters with one of the most powerful offenses in program history. The Miners are hitting .291 as a team and have already set a new single-season program record with 58 home runs while scoring 302 runs this season. Taylor Nelson (Hailey, ID/Phillips Exeter Academy) leads the lineup with a .421 batting average, 18 home runs, and 54 RBI while posting a .882 slugging percentage and .544 on-base percentage. Claire Lopez (Olathe, KS/Olathe Northwest) adds a .340 average with 55 hits and a team high 27 stolen bases, while Kaylee LaChappell (Oswego, IL/Oswego) is batting .336 with 46 hits and 21 RBI.  

 

Tori Thompson (Chandler, AZ/Basha) has added 10 home runs and 38 RBI for the Miners, while AJ Agers (DeSoto, MO/St. Pius X) continues to contribute both offensively and in the circle with eight home runs and 34 RBI in addition to a 20-9 pitching record.  

 

Inside the circle, Missouri S&T owns a 3.22 team ERA led by Agers, who has thrown 175 innings with 91 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .225 batting average. Mia Miller (Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) has also been a key contributor with 95 strikeouts and 12 wins this season.  

 

Findlay is led offensively by Annika Bredel, who is batting .431 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI, while Anna Jones (.427) and Joslynne Frazier (.375) provide additional production throughout the lineup. Alexys Antal leads the Oilers in the circle with a 19-3 record and a 3.13 ERA across 134 innings pitched.  

 

The last meeting between the two programs came during the 2024 season, when Missouri S&T defeated Findlay 7-4 during the Blue Ridge Battle. 

 

The four-team double-elimination pod will conclude Saturday, May 16, with the winner advancing to a best-of-three Super Regional series against the winner of the opposite Midwest Regional pod featuring No. 1 Indianapolis, No. 8 Tiffin, No. 4 Saginaw Valley State, and No. 5 Ashland. 

 

The NCAA Division II Softball Championships will take place May 28 through June 3 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.