Softball | 3/23/2014 10:01:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Northern State box score in html
Wayne State box score in html
March 23, 2014-The 12th ranked Emporia State softball team improved to 26-7 on the season with a pair of wins on Saturday at the MWSU Invite in St. Joseph, Mo. The Hornets defeated Northern State 4-3 and Wayne State (Neb.) 4-1 at Heritage Park.
Northern State struck first with a solo home run in the second inning before Emporia State got on the board when Andrea Piezuch tripled and came home when Kaitlyn Caston reached on an error. Jessica Gragg was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth and after advancing to third on two ground outs came home on Eryn Stockman's infield single. The Wolves scored a pair of unearned runs with two outs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. The Hornets retook the lead on a two RBI double by Gragg that plated Madison Rich and Stephanie Goodwin for the 4-3 win.
Gragg was one for two with two RBI and a run scored. Stockman went the distance allowing three runs, one of them earned, on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Hornets were the visitors in the second game and scored in the top of the first. Rich singled and, after singles from Goodwin and Tricia Vogel loaded the bases, came home on Piezuch's single. Emporia State went up 3-0 in the fifth. Goodwin led off with a single and scored on Vogel's triple who then scored on Gragg's single. The Wildcats got on the board with a single unearned run in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 3-1. Emporia State added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Caston doubled and Stockman drove her home with a single.
Goodwin was three for four with a run scored and Vogel was two for four with a run scored nad an RBI. Rich and Caston both went two for four with a run scored. Caston picked up her 19th win of the season allowing one unearned run on five hits over 7.0 innings with two strikeouts.
The next action for the #12 Hornets is a four game Turnpike Tussle series against Washburn starting on Friday at Trusler. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. The double header in Emporia will count in the MIAA standings while a double header in Topeka will be non-conference.
