EMPORIA, Kan. — In a game that was a pitcher’s duel early, it was a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh that proved to be the difference in a 4-1 Missouri Southern State University win over the Rogers State University Hillcats in the title game of the 2026 MIAA Championship Saturday at Emporia State University’s Trusler Sports Complex.
After both teams went scoreless for the first three frames, the Lions (48-7) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman pinch hitter Gianna Saggese plated pinch runner Micha Snider with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Hillcats (36-19) evened the game at 1 in the top of the sixth inning when Saylor Brown was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, scoring Raelle Gorman. The play went under review but eventually went the way of RSU and the game went into the seventh with the teams still level at 1-1.
With one out in the top of the final inning, MSSU’s Emily Davis came in to relieve starter Kiki Pickens and got the final two outs to set up Perry’s late-game heroics.
Katie Gray smacked a one-out double to center field before the Hillcats intentionally walked Carsen Tinkler. Perry stepped up to the plate and smacked a no-doubter over the left center field fence, plating pinch runner Emma Mason and Tinkler and giving the Lions the MIAA title.
The Lions captured the regular season title last week for the first time since 2001 — the same year MSSU celebrated its last MIAA Tournament Championship.
“Our team is together and we are 18-strong,” MSSU head coach Hallie Blackney said. “They play for each other and I am just so glad they got rewarded with this today because they play for each other as a selfless bunch and it is just the neatest thing i have seen in my entire career.”
Perry, a fifth-year senior who missed the 2024 season due to torn ACL, talked about her thoughts before and during her last at-bat.
“Typically, I have no thoughts coming into the box and that is basically what happened,” Perry said. “I try not to think too much because that is when things go south. I knew that pitcher was tough and had gotten me all day — I got lucky on a bunt — so I knew I had to have a good approach going up there. She threw me a change-up inside. I wanted that pitch. It was the pitch I was hunting. It was the pitch I wanted.”
Blackney weighed in on Perry’s career.
“She has grinded and grinded and grinded,” Blackney said. “She finished her last paper for her master’s yesterday at 5 p.m. I just get chills because I don’t think this could have happened to a better kid — to be in her fifth year, working her tail off to come back from injury, just grinding and grinding to have the game pay you back.”
Perry finished 2 for 3 with three RBIs and a run. Tinkler was 1 for 2 with a run.
Pickens, who was selected as the tournament MVP, gave up one run on one hit while striking out 10 and walking one in 6 1/3 innings of work. Davis (19-4) earned the win. She gave up no runs and no hits and struck out one in 2/3 innings of relief.
“With Kiki, Ed, (Emily Davis) and Kadence Janney, iron sharpens iron. We’ve hung our hat on our pitching all year and the three of them are why we are having so much success. Coach Lexi (Lexi Kinnaird) is a phenomenal pitching coach. She leads them in that room. All three of them are so good and they complement each other so well. There is no jealousy and it is so neat to watch them work together.”
RSU starter Harley Culie went the distance for the Hillcats. She gave up four runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking seven.
Blackney praised the RSU starter after the game.
“Harley Culie pitched a phenomenal game, “ Blackney said. “Thursday, Friday and today she did a great job for them and she proved why she is who she is. You can prepare for her as much as you can, but until you are in the box, you just have to execute as well as you can. It just speaks to her level of talent.”
Southern, which is poised to host the D-II Central Region Tournament, awaits official announcement of the pairings, which will be live at 9 a.m. Monday on NCAA.com