Softball | 4/15/2012 7:04:00 PM
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
April 15, 2012-Emporia State's Jennifer Heerey made sure her Senior Day was a memorable one as she had the game ending hits in both games and got the win in the circle in the nightcap as the Hornets swept Lincoln at the Trusler Sports Complex. ESU won both games in six innings, the first 10-2 and the second 9-1.
In the matinee Andrea Piezuch led off the bottom of the first with a double on the first pitch and went to third when Jessica Brewer beat out a bunt. Stephanie Goodwin then hit a two RBI single and would come home on Amanda Self's double to give ESU a 3-0 lead. The Hornets made it 4-0 in the third on an RBI double by Taylor Reichard. After Lincoln plated two runs in the top of the fourth Goodwin hit an RBI double and Tricia Vogel connected on a two run homer to make it 7-2 after four innings. Reichard hit another RBI double and Taylor Zordel scored on a wild pitch for a 9-2 lead after five innings. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Heerey connected on her second home run of the season to give ESU a 10-2 lead and end the game.
Vogel went two for four with two RBI, three runs scored and her sixth home run while Goodwin was two for three with three RBI and a run scored. Karley Schmelzer gave up two runs on four hits in 4.0 innings with eight strike outs to earn her 13th win. Lauren Sharp worked the final 2.0 innings and allowed only one hit.
In the nightcap, Piezuch opened the Hornets half of the first inning with a single and would score when the ball got away from the short stop on a fly ball out. Vogel made it 2-0 with an RBI single that scored Jessica Brewer. Reichard led off the bottom of the second with a home run on the first pitch to give ESU a 3-0 lead. Lincoln broke up Heerey's perfect game when Megan Braun doubled to lead off the fourth and scored on a single by Starr McLeod.
The Hornets scored six runs on six hits in the sixth inning to force their sixth run rule vicotry in their last eight games. Bradie Schmelzer led off with a double, followed by a single from Jessica Gragg. After an infield fly out by Taylor Zordel, Piezuch crushed a ball into the wind for a three run homer to right field. Goodwin then doubled and scored on a Vogel single. After Self walked Heerey singled to right scoring Self and Vogel came into score when LU tried to get Heerey out going to second.
Heerey tossed a two hitter with eight strike outs in 6.0 innings and went one for three with an RBI at the plate. Piezuch finished the game three for four with three RBI and two runs scored.
With the wins, ESU became the first team in MIAA history to go undefeated in a complete round robin conference season and set a league record with 20 MIAA wins. The Hornets will be the #1 seed at the MIAA Tournament April 26-28 at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan. ESU still has six non-conference road games before the MIAA Tournament beginning next weekend in Oklahoma. The Hornets play Northeastern State on Friday, April 20 in Tahlequah and will have a rematch with #4 Central Oklahoma on Saturday, April 21 in Edmond.
NOTES:
ESU has won the MIAA Regular Season Championship in seven of the last eight seasons, including the last three in a row.
This is the fifth time ESU has won the regular season title outright having tied for the championship in 2010 and 2011.
