Softball | 4/28/2012 4:23:00 PM
Box Score
April 28, 2012-The #16 Emporia State softball team came from behind twice to defeat #21 Missouri Western 6-5 and win the MIAA Tournament Championship on Saturday afternoon in Overland Park, Kan. It is the eighth MIAA tourney title for the Hornets in the last nine years.
MWSU went ahead early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Sarah Elliott started things for the Griffons with a one out double down the left field line. Tiffany Gillaspy then reached on a fielding error by Hornet third baseman Jessica Gragg. Keri Lorbert singled through the left side to give the Griffons a 1-0 lead and a ground out put runners at second and third. With two outs Leah Steele struck out on a wild pitch and beat the throw to first allowing Gillaspy to score for a 2-0 lead. Taylor Anding singled to score Lorbert but Steele was thrown out trying to go first to third to end the inning.
ESU got on the board in the second as Taylor Reichard singled with one out and Gragg doubled to left center to score her. Andrea Piezuch and Jessica Brewer led off the third with back to back singles for the Hornets and with two outs Amanda Self delivered a two run double to right center to tie the game at 3-3.
Schmelzer struck out Anding to open the Griffon fourth before Maegan Roemmich reached on a throwing error by Gragg, her second error of the day. Blair Stalder connected on a home run to right to put the Griffons back on top 5-3. Kendra Gifford hit a one out triple in the fourth and scored on Taylor Zordel’s single to cut the lead in half.
The Hornets would take the lead for good in the fifth inning. Tricia Vogel singled with one out, Self walked and Reichard reached on an infield single to load the bases for Gragg. The freshman third baseman came through with two run single to left to give ESU a 6-5 lead.
Stalder led off the sixth with a single before Gragg made a diving catch of a sacrifice bunt attempts Breanna Fleschner to keep the runner at first with one out. Elliott then reached when Zordel bobled a grounder to put runners at first and second. Gillaspy then flew out for the second out. Lorbert then hit a grounder second that Reichard knocked down in order save a run. Sorensen ended the inning with a fly out to leave the bases loaded.
The Hornets were retired in order for the first time in the game in the bottom of the sixth. Schmelzer struck out Steele to open the seventh. Gragg then robbed Anding of a hit when she snared a line drove at third for the second out. Shmelzer then ended the game by striking out Roemmich to give the Hornets their first untied sweep of the MIAA regular season and tournament championships since 2008.
Gragg was two for three with three RBI, including the game winner. Self went one for two with two RBI and a run scored. Schmelzer won her 18
th game of the year giving up just two earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts.
With the win, ESU secured the MIAA’s automatic bid to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament next weekend. The selection show that will be at 9:00 a.m. Monday and available on ncaa.com.
NOTES:
ESU has won eight of the last nine MIAA Tournament Championships, going undefeated in six of them.
The Hornets have advanced to the NCAA Tournament an MIAA record nine straight years and ten times in school history.
