Softball | 3/15/2012 1:21:00 PM
HOME AT LAST
The Hornets open the home portion of the MIAA schedule with double headers against Truman and Northwest Missouri. ESU has won ten straight MIAA home openers with double header sweeps in nine of those ten years.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State moved to 4-0 in MIAA with a sweep at Southwest Baptist. The Hornets run-ruled the Bearcats in game one 11-0 before knocking them off 7-3 in game two. In the opener the Hornets scored 11 runs on 13 hits while Karley Schmelzer threw a no-hitter in the 11-0 run-rule win. Schmelzer struck out nine and only allowed one base runner to move to 5-2 on the year. In game two ESU jumped out to a 3-1 lead scoring single runs in the first, second and third. ESU would then grab four runs in the fifth inning to put the game away for good on the way to a 7-3 victory. Jessica Gragg hit her first home run of the season as she was two for two with two runs scored. Taylor Zordel went two for three with three runs RBI. In the circle Lauren Sharp went seven innings allowing only one earned run while striking out four.
THE?COACHES
Julie LeMaire is 12-6 in her first season at Emporia State and is 104-83 in her fourth season as a head coach. She came to ESU from Ft. Hays State and took the Tigers to the MIAA Tournament Championship game last season. She was 6-1 against TSU and 4-3 against SBU while at FHSU.
Erin Brown is 103-157 in her sixth year at Truman. She is 0-11 against ESU.
Ryan Anderson is 132-130 in his sixth year as at Northwest Missouri and 248-204 in his tenth year as a head coach. He is 2-10 against ESU at NWMSU and 5-12 in his career against the Hornets.
SCOUTING TRUMAN
The Bulldogs are 12-11, 1-1 in the MIAA and have won six of their last seven. Bridget Schade is the reigning MIAA Hitter of the Week and is batting .449 with seven homers and 20 RBI. Kelsea Dorsey is 8-2 with a 2.40 ERA in the circle.
SERIES AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
ESU leads the all-time series 34-26 and have won 16 in a row against TSU.
LAST TIME AGAINST TSU
Taylor Reichard had a two RBI single in the first and Jennifer Heerey only allowed one unearned run as the Hornets defeated the Bulldogs 2-1 in Kirksville, Mo. last season.
SCOUTING NORTHWEST MO.
The Bearcats are 11-9, 2-0 in the MIAA and have won five of their last six games. Kristen Uthe is their leading hitter with a .365 average, four home runs and 19 RBI. Jenna Creger is 4-3 with a 2.61 ERA and 63 strike outs in 62.0 innings in the circle.
SERIES AGAINST THE BEARCATS
ESU leads the all-time series 39-17 and have won eight in a row against NWMSU.
LAST TIME AGAINST NWMSU
Andrea Piezuch was two for three with two RBI and a run scored as ESU defeated Northwest Missouri 4-2 and clinch a share of the MIAA regular season championship for the sixth time in the past seven years. Jennifer Heerey picked up the win, allowing one earned run on four hits in 7.0 innings pitched.
UP NEXT
ESU steps out of the MIAA to play #19 West Texas A&M in Oklahoma City, Okla. First pitch from Ann Lacy Stadium on the OCU campus is set for 1 p.m. on March 21.
