Softball | 4/20/2012 11:49:00 PM
Game one box score
Game two box score
April 21, 2012-The #14 Emporia State softball team won by run rule for the seventh time in nine games before seeing their 15 game winning streak come to an end with a double header split at Northeastern State on Friday afternoon. The Hornets won game one 10-2 in six innings before falling 4-3 in nine innings in the nightcap.
Andrea Piezuch tripled to lead off in the matinee and came home on an RBI single by current MIAA Hitter of the Week Stephanie Goodwin's single. NSU answered in the bottom of the first when Karley Schmelzer hit Cayce Coleman who came around to score on a double by Lisa Ripperger.
ESU blew the game open with six runs in the top of the second. Taylor Reichard and Jessica Gragg were both hit by pitch to open the inning. Taylor Zordel sacrificed them over and Reichard scored on Piezuch's sac fly for the second out of the inning. The next four Hornets all got hits, including two run home runs by Goodwin and Amanda Self to give ESU a 7-1 lead. Ripperger got her second RBI for NSU in the bottom of the second when she walked with the bases loaded but Shmelzer got a pop out to end the inning with bases still full of Riverhawks.
Kendra Gifford manufactured a run in the fifth as she singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Gragg to make it 8-2. Self put ESU up by eight runs when she hit her second home run of the day, another two run shot, in the top of the sixth.
Self was two for four with four RBI and two runs scored on two home runs. Goodwin went three for four with three RBI, two runs scored and a homer. Schmelzer picked up her 14th win of the year as she surrendered two runs on six hits with four strike outs.
The Hornets got on the board again in the first inning of the second game. Jessica Brewer walked and came around to score a single from Self. The Riverhawks scored a run in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit. After getting a ground out to start the inning, Jennifer Heerey issued back to back walks to Coleman and Ripperger. The Hornets got Coleman out at third on a fielder's choice for the second out before Lindsea Ross worked another walk and Shayla Bullard reached on a fielding error at third by Gragg that allowed Ripperger to score. Heerey left the bases loaded as she struck out Rachel Powers to end the inning.
Gragg hit a solo homer to lead off the fourth and give ESU a 2-1 lead. NSU answered in the bottom of the inning when Bullard led off with a single and went to third when the ball got away from Piezuch in left field. Bullard scored on a double by Kelsi Hilderbrandt to tie the game. Hilderbrandt was sacrificed to third and Heerey got a foul out before the Riverhawks took their first lead of the day on a fielding error by Taylor Zordel at short. NSU would load the bases on a single and walk before Heerey coaxed another ground ball to short the Zordel fielded cleanly to end the inning with the bases loaded again.
ESU tied the score in the top of the fifth when Tricia Vogel singled with one out and Self doubled in Alyssa Miller who was in as a pinch runner. The Hornets matched the Riverhawks by then leaving the bases loaded for the second time in the game. ESU had a chance to take the lead in the sixth but Piezuch was thrown out at home trying to score on fly out by Vogel to end the inning. The Hornets also had the bases loaded in the eighth but failed to score as ESU stranded 16 runners in the game.
The Riverhawks won the game on an unearned run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Coleman reached on a fielding error by Gragg at third and was sacrificed to second.A single by Shelbi Bowen put runners at the corners with one out. Heerey was able to strike out Ross for the second out before Bullard drove in the game winner with a single to left.
Heerey took the loss despite giving up just one earned run on seven hits with five walks and five strike outs in 8.2 innings. Self went two for four at the plate with two RBI while Gragg was two for four with a home run.
The Hornets will continue their trip through the Sooner State with a double header at #3 Central Oklahoma on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.
