Softball | 2/17/2012 12:54:00 AM
Game Notes
SHOOTOUT AT SOUTHEASTERN
Emporia State travels to Durant, Okla for the South Central Shootout hosted by Southeastern Oklahoma State. It is one of the largest NCAA Division II only tournaments in the nation. ESU went 2-4 in their last trip to the South Central Shootout in 2009. Julie LeMaire was 3-3 with Ft. Hays State at the same tournament.
LAST AT BAT
Kendra Gifford went two for three with three runs, three RBI and two home runs to lead Emporia State to a 7-4 win over Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The win capped a 3-1 season opening weekend for the Hornets. ESU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on Gifford’s two run homer and then put four runs on the board in the fifth inning. Taylor Zordel had the big blow that inning with a . Gifford hit a solo homer with two outs in the sixth for an insurance run. Jennifer Heerey and Zordel both joined Gifford with two hits. Heerey struck out nine while giving up four runs on ten hits to improve to 2-0 on the year. Karley Schmelzer pitched a scoreless seventh to get her first save of the season and fifth of her career.
THE?COACH
Julie LeMaire is 3-1 in her first season at Emporia State and is 95-77 in three seasons as a head coach. She came to ESU from Ft. Hays State and took the Tigers to the MIAA Tournament Championship game last season.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
There will be 16 teams at the South Central Shootout with ESU joined by fellow MIAA members Central Missouri and Missouri Western. Five of the six teams the Hornets will play this weekend have winning records entering the tournament. ESU holds the series advantage on three of the teams, trails two and will be meeting one for the first time.
SCOUTING HENDERSON STATE
Emporia State has won all three games with Henderson State with the last meeting coming in 2005. The Reddies are 5-3 on the season having split four games with nationally ranked teams.
SCOUTING OUACHITA BAPTIST
Emporia State won the only previous meeting with Ouachita Baptist in 2005. The Tigers are 4-2 on the season, 1-2 against Top 25 teams.
SCOUTING CAMERON
Emporia State leads the all-time series with Cameron 9-5 after a 1-0 loss last year. The Aggies are 5-2 on the season and are 1-1 against nationally ranked teams.
SCOUTING SE OKLA. STATE
Emporia State trails Southeastern Oklahoma State 6-1 after losing 5-2 last season. The host Savage Storm is 5-4 this year and have won four of their last five games.
SCOUTING ANGELO STATE
Emporia State split with Angelo State twice in the regional tournament last year and trail the series 9-6. The Rams have handed the Hornets four of their six NCAA Tournament losses over the last three years. ASU is 5-2 on the year and riding a five game winning streak into the weekend.
SCOUTING UT-PERMIAN BASIN
The is the first meeting for Emporia State with UT-Permian Basin. The Falcons are 0-7 on the season.
UP NEXT
ESU will wrap-up tournament play next weekend at the Best Western Premier Spring Fling in Denton, Texas. The Hornets are scheduled to play five games, including rematches with ASU and St. Mary's.
