EDMOND, Okla. – McKayla Carney delivered a game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift top-seeded Rogers State to a 2-1 win over No. 2 seed Pittsburg State in a battle of the MIAA's regular season co-champions in the finals of the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship Saturday (May 4).

The No.12 ranked Hillcats (43-10) claim the MIAA Championship with the win as well as the conference's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division II National Tournament. The No. 4 ranked Gorillas (51-6) will await the NCAA Selection Show Monday morning (May 6) in hopes of securing an at-large berth into the national field. Pitt State enters the MIAA Championship as the top-ranked team in the NCAA Central Region rankings.

Pitt State's Ava Laurent and RSU's Sara Llamas-Howell (21-6) locked up in a pitcher's duel Saturday at Gerry Pinkston Stadium on the campus of Central Oklahoma. The Hillcats finally broke the scoreless tie with a run in the bottom of the fifth, before Pitt State's Maddie Fernandez delivered a sacrifice fly to score Heather Arnett with a game-tying run in the top of the sixth.

Both squads had scoring opportunities – RSU left 10 runners on base while Pitt State stranded four base runners. The Hillcats had a potential go-ahead run on a squeeze play in the bottom of the sixth inning overturned following replay when Kaylee Lyon was called for leaving base early on the play.

Chelsea Spain opened the bottom of the ninth with a double against Pitt State reliever Chelsea Beville (7-2). Carney followed two batters later with the game-winning hit.

Following the game, Pitt State had six payers named to the All-Tournament Team:  Heather Arnett (OF),Hannah Burnett (INF), Paxtyn Hayes (DP), Ava Laurent (P), Gabby Schultz (INF) and Courtney Storey (OF).
 
Notes:
Heather Arnett tied a MIAA season record for hits with Abi Corbett (Missouri Southern, 2017) with 96 hits this season. Arnett broke the Pittsburg State single season record of 92 hits, previously set by Joy Rishel in 1994, on Friday.