Softball | 4/27/2012 11:48:00 AM
WE MEET AGAIN
Emporia State takes on Ft. Hays State in the winners bracket of the MIAA Tournament. FHSU, then coached by Julie LeMaire, eliminated ESU from last year's tourney and ended their seven year run as conference tourney champions.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State opened the MIAA Tournament with a pair of run rule wins. The Hornets defeated the Lincoln 11-0 and Central Missouri 8-0 to advance to the winners bracket championship game. Pitching was key as Jennifer Heerey and Karley Schmelzer each tossed one hit shutouts. Every Hornet in the lineup either scored a run or got an RBI in the 11-0 win over Lincoln. Andrea Piezuch was one for three but reached base three times and scored three runs. After giving up a two out single in the first, Heerey retired the next 13 batters for her fifth shutout of the year. ESU lost the coin flip in game two and were the visitors. They responded by scoring four runs in the top of the first to give Schmelzer all the run support she would need. She struck out seven of the first ten Jennies she faced and retired the final nine Jennies. Taylor Reichard was three for three with four RBI and a run scored to lead the offense.
THE COACHES
Julie LeMaire is 37-9 in her first season at Emporia State and went 20-0 in the MIAA regular season. She is 129-86 in her fourth season as a head coach. She came to ESU after three years at Ft. Hays State and took the Tigers to the MIAA Tournament Championship game last season. She is 10-6 in the MIAA Tournament with a 2-0 record at ESU. She is 2-0 against FHSU.
Erin Kinberger is 31-17 in her first year as the head coach at FHSU after spending three years as an assistant for the Tigers. She is 0-2 against ESU.
SCOUTING FT. HAYS STATE
The Tigers are 31-17 and went 13-7 in MIAA play to earn the third seed. First-team All-MIAA pitcher Maddie Holub is 19-8 with a 1.59 ERA and 303 strike outs in the circle and bats .357 with nine home runs and 30 RBI. Taylor Nelson is batting .319 with ten doubles, seven homers adn 32 RBI. First baseman Adriana Wortley was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year
SERIES AGAINST THE TIGERS
ESU leads FHSU 36-22 all-time but have gone just 5-6 against the Tigers over the last two years with nine of the 11 games played outside Emporia. FHSU defeated ESU twice in last year's MIAA Tournament and broke a string of eight straight appearances in the championship game.
LAST TIME VS. FHSU
The #25 Hornets ran their MIAA conference winning streak to 17 games dating back to last season with a double header sweep of Ft. Hays State. ESU won game one 2-1 and came back with a 6-4 victory in game 2. The Hornets came from behind for the fifth straight time in the matinee. Karley Schmelzer scattered six hits with seven strike outs and a walk over 7.0 innings. ESU jumped on top in the night cap by scoring three runs without a hit in the first inning and went up 6-0 in the second with two more unearned runs. Lauren Sharp allowed seven hits over 7.0 innings with three walks and a strikeout for the win.
UP NEXT
The winner will advance to the MIAA Tournament Championship game at 12 noon on Saturday against the surviving team from the consolation bracket. The loser will play immediately following this game for the right to advance to Saturday's championship game.
