Softball | 2/23/2014 2:39:00 AM
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February 22, 2014-Jessica Gragg hit a walk off homer in the bottom of the eighth inning of the final game to cap a 2-0 day for #25 Emporia State at the Kelly Laas Invitational in St. Cloud, Minn. The Hornets edged Concordia-St. Paul 8-7 after defeating Wayne State (Neb.) 6-1 earlier in the day.
The Hornets got on top with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third against Wayne State. After the Wildcats scored in the top of the fourth, Andrea Piezuch made it 3-1 with a two out homer in the bottom of the inning. Emporia State sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth and plated three runs before leaving the bases loaded. Taylor Reichard and Tricia Vogel both had RBI singles in the inning.
That was more than enough for Kaitlyn Caston as she won her seventh game of the season, allowing one run on five hits. Reichard was three for three with a double, two RBI and a run scored in the first game.
In the nightcap, Concordia-St. Paul scored two unearned runs in the top of the first. The Hornets answered with RBI singles from Stephanie Goodwin and Taylor Zordel in the bottom of the second. The Golden Bears scored two more in the top of the third and Emporia State cut the lead in half with and RBI single fromReichard in the bottom of the fourth. A lead off homer by CSP chased starter Eryn Stockman in favor of Caston and gave the Bears a 5-3 lead. Concordia scored two more in the inning before Caston got out of the inning with Emporia State trailing 7-3.
Goodwin hit a lead off homer in the bottom of the sixth to pull Emporia State within 7-4. With one out Vogel drove in Laura Seeman and Gragg followed her with a two run single to tie the score at 7-7 headed to the seventh. Caston retired the side in order in the top of the seventh while the Hornets left the bases loaded as the teams headed to extra innings. CSP failed to score in the top of the eighth setting up Gragg's leadoff heroics in the bottom of the frame.
Gragg went three for five with three RBI, a home run and a run scored. Taylor Zordel was three for four with a run scored and an RBI while Goodwin and Reichard both drove in two runs as well. Caston pitched the final four innings to pick up her eighth win of the season.
Emporia State will wrap up the indoor tournament against #8 Augustana on Sunday afternoon. It has been designated as one of the "Featured Five" games of the week by the NFCA. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday at the Husky Dome.
