Softball | 5/4/2012 10:22:00 PM
Box Score
May 4, 2012-Karley Schmelzer tossed a two hitter and Amanda Self drove in the lone run of the game as #17 Emporia State defeated Abilene Christian 1-0 on Friday afternoon in Edmond, Okla. The Hornets will play #2 Central Oklahoma, a 3-1 winner over Incarnate Word, at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional2.
The first two batter for ACU walked to open the game, but Self gunned down Keanna Winkfield trying to steal third for the first out. Schmelzer then got a strike out and fly out to end the inning with no damage. ESU went down in order in the bottom of the first while ACU again got two runners on base in the second but left them both stranded. Tricia Vogel was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the bottom of the second and Taylor Reichard worked a walk to put runners at first and second. Jessica Gragg then flied out to left and injured herself leading to a delay as she was helped off the field. She twisted her knee and her status for the rest of the tournament is doubtful. Kendra Gifford then flied out to end the inning.
After the injury Schmelzer settled in and retired the next six Wildcats to send the game to the bottom of the fourth scoreless. Stephanie Goodwin led off the Hornets half of the fourth with a single through the right side and went to third on Vogel's single to left center. Self then drove in the only run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left. Taylor Reichard reached on a fielding error by Sarah Vaughn at shortstop for ACU. Reichard stole second and then Katie Huffman, who had come in for the injured Gragg, popped into a double play on a squeeze attempt to end the inning.
ACU was again able to get two runners on in the top of the fifth before Schmelzer got a couple of comebackers to the circle to end the inning with no runs scored. Taylor Zordel would single and steal second for ESU in the bottom of the fifth but was stranded as was ACU's Kimberly Briggs in the top of the sixth. The Hornets had a chance for some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth but left two runners in scoring position to take a 1-0 lead to the seventh.
Pinch hitter Kara Stutesman singled with one out in the seventh for ACU but Schmelzer struck out the final two batters to give ESU 40 wins on the season for the ninth straight year.
Goodwin was two for three with the lone run scored in the game for ESU. Schmelzer went the distance, taking a no hitter into the sixth inning before settling for a two hit shut out. She struck out five as she earned her eighth shut out of the year.
ESU will play host Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Edmond North HS. The winner will play for the South Central Regional2 championship on Sunday while the loser will have to play at 6 p.m. on Saturday against the winner of the game between ACU and Incarnate Word.
NOTES:
ESU is now 30-19 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
