Softball | 4/27/2012 5:44:00 PM
Box Score
April 27, 2012-Jessica Gragg hit an RBI single and Tricia Vogel had a solo home run as #16 Emporia State advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship game with a 2-0 win over Ft. Hays State. The Hornets have yet to allow a run in three tournament games this year at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan.
Karley Schmelzer struck out the side to start the game as she threw her third straight shut out, this one a two hitter. Maddie Holub, her counterpart for FHSU and a first-team All-MIAA selection, retired the Hornets in order in the bottom of the first. The Tigers went down in order in the second before the Hornets broke the scoreless drought in the bottom of the second. With one out Amanda Self worked a walk and went to second on Taylor Reichard's single. Jessica Gragg the hit a shot to right center to score Self and give ESU a 1-0 lead.
Schmelzer meanwhile struck out the side again in the third and got the first out of the fourth before FHSU made their first threat of the day. Callie Wright singled through the left side and Holub walked to put runners at first and second. Adriana Wortley sacrificed them both over but Schmelzer coaxed a gorund out to short by Amanda Vaupel to end the inning. Tricia Vogel then took the first pitch in the bottom of the inning over the fence in left to give ESU a 2-0 lead. Self followed with a double, while Gragg and Taylor Zordel reached on a hit batter and walk around two outs to load the bases. Andrea Piezuch then flyed out on a ball hit to the warning track in right before it was caught to end the inning.
The Hornets had another chance to add some insurance runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs Gragg singled, Kendra Gifford was hit by a pitch and Zordel singled to load the bases, but Piezuch hit a comebacker to the circle to end the inning. Holub singled to lead off the top of the seventh for FHSU before Schmelzer settled in and retired final three batters.
Schmelzer ended the game with ten strike outs while allowing two hits and one walk. She has now gone 17.0 innings without allowing a run and has 27 strikeouts in that time. Gragg was two for two and reached base in all three appearances with an RBI. Vogel went one for three with a home run.
ESU will play the winner of the game between Ft. Hays State and #21 Missouri Western for the MIAA Championship on Saturday. First pitch is set for 12 noon at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan.
NOTES:
This will be the second straight year Julie LeMaire has taken a team to the MIAA Championship game after taking FHSU to the title game last year.
This is the ninth time in ten years the Hornets will be playing for the MIAA Championship and they have won the championship in seven of their previous eight appearances.
The last team to go through the MIAA Tournament without allowing a run was the 2005 Hornets under Stacy Gemeinhardt as they defeated NWMSU 6-0, MWSU 8-0, TSU 4-0 and TSU 5-0 on the way to the second of seven straight MIAA Tournament Championships between 2004 and 2010.
