Softball | 4/5/2012 4:27:00 PM
BACK IN PLAY
After having Wednesday's non-conference double header at Newman rained out, #20 Emporia State travels to Joplin, Mo. and Pittsburg, Kan. for MIAA action.
LAST AT BAT
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. Taylor Reichard led off the fifth with a solo home run, Jessica Gragg followed her with a double and then scored the go ahead run on Jessica Brewer's slap single. Karley Schmelzer picked up her tenth win of the season as she 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. FHSU got on the board in the third to cut the lead to 6-2. The Tigers cut the lead to 6-4 in the sixth, but he Hornets avoided further damage with a double play to end the inning. Lauren Sharp earned her seventh win, allowing seven hits over 7.0 innings with three walks and a strikeout.
THE?COACHES
Julie LeMaire is 23-7 in her first season at Emporia State and is 115-84 in her fourth season as a head coach. She came to ESU from Ft. Hays State and took the Tigers to the MIAA Tournament Championship game last season. She was 4-6 against MSSU and 6-5 against PSU while at FHSU.
Bill Gray is 86-121-1 in his fourth year at MSSU and 351-314-1 in his tenth year as a head coach. He is 2-6 against ESU.
Elizabeth Economon is 22-17 in her first year at PSU and this will be her first meeting against ESU as a head coach.
SCOUTING MO. SOUTHERN
The Lions are 13-24 on the season, 4-4 in the MIAA. Brooke Hurley is batting .304 with a team best five home runs, 25 runs and 27 RBI. Hayle Pypes is 8-5 with a 3.14 ERA in the circle.
SERIES AGAINST THE LIONS
ESU trails MSSU 37-27 all-time, but have won 16 of the last 20 games.
LAST TIME VS. MSSU
In an elimination game at the MIAA Tournament, ESU broke on top in the third on an Andrea Piezuch RBI single. Taylor Reichard added an RBI single in the fourth and Amanda Self doubled in two in the fifth inning. Self was two for two and drove in two runs as she had the Hornets only extra base hit. Karley Schmelzer tossed a three hit shutout with seven strike outs.
SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE
The Gorillas are 22-17 and 8-0 in the MIAA. Tiffany Brown is batting .441 with 13 homers, 33 runs, and 39 RBI. Hilary Erbert is 10-8 with a 3.27 ERA.
SERIES AGAINST THE GORILLAS
ESU leads the all-time series 65-46, have won six in a row and 22 of the last 25 against PSU.
LAST TIME VS. PSU
ESU used a pair of three run home runs in the fourth inning for a 10-3 victory over PSU. Abby Hughes hit her second homer of the game to give the Hornets a 7-3 lead. Three batters later Abby Smith hit a three run homer to make it 10-3. Reliever Lauren Sharp didn't allow a runner past first base over the final 4.1 innings as she picked up her fifth win of the year.
UP NEXT
ESU returns home to take on St. Mary's on April 12. First pitch of the double header at Trusler is set for 3 p.m.
