#18 EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL FACES #11 MINNESOTA STATE IN ELIMINATION GAME

Softball | 5/10/2014 2:05:00 AM

NOW OR NEVER  
The #18 Hornets begin another battle through the losers bracket, taking on #11 Minnesota State.

LAST AT BAT
Emporia State battled back from a four run deficit in the seventh to force extra innings, but could not come through again as the Hornets fell 7-5 to Central Oklahoma in nine innings. Kaitlyn Caston was two for five with four RBI and two runs scored at the plate. She went the distance in the circle, allowing seven runs on 14 hits with two strikeouts. Stephanie Goodwin and Gragg each went two for four with a run scored while Piezuch was two for five with a run scored.

THE COACHES
Julie LeMaire is 126-44 in her third season at Emporia State. She has been named MIAA Coach of the Year twice in her three years with the Hornets. She is 214-120 in her sixth season as a head coach. She came to Emporia State after three years at Ft. Hays State. She is 23-15 in the post season with a 15-9 record at Emporia State.
Lori Meyer is 1,010-601-3 in her 30th year at Minnesota State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 46-13 on the year, went 22-3 in the MIAA, are ranked #18 in the NFCA National Poll and are the three seed in the NCAA Central Region.  The Hornets lead the MIAA with a .968 fielding percentage and they lead the nation in double plays with 39 in 58 games. Emporia State is third in the MIAA in pitching with a 2.72 team ERA. Kaitlyn Caston is leading the nation with 33 wins on the season. The Hornets are fourth in the league in team hitting with a .312 batting average and lead the league in runs scored. Stephanie Goodwin is leading the conference in doubles with 17 and hits with 81 on the season, while Taylor Zordel is second in doubles with 15 and leads the MIAA in assists with 157.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State is 43-12 on the season and went 25-3 in the NSIC. They are the second seed in the fourth straight regional they have hosted.  They are batting .338 as a team with a .963 fielding percentage and 2.43 team ERA. Lindsay Erickson is batting a team best .445 with 11 home runs and 56 RBI. Coley Reis is 23-7 on the year with a 1.88 ERA while Brittany Lauterbach is 18-5 with a 2.77 ERA in the circle.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 7-4 and the two team split a pair of games this year. Emporia State won the only previous meeting in NCAA Tournament play, taking a 6-0 win in Mankato on May 12, 2007.

LAST TIME AGAINST MINN. ST.
Minnesota State avenged an early season loss with a 12-4 run rule win over Emporia State at the MWSU Crossover in St. Joseph, Mo. Taylor Zordel reached on an error to open the game and Rich walked before Goodwin hit an RBI single.  Vogel made it 2-0 with a sac fly that scored Rich.  The Mavericks answered with three runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead and added three more in the third for a 6-2 lead. Minnesota State got a two run homer in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth to go ahead 9-2.  Kaitlyn Caston, who came on in relief of Eryn Stockman in the fourth, hit a two run homer to pull the Hornets within 9-4 in the top of the sixth.  The Mavericks then scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to invoke the run rule with a 12-4 win.

UP NEXT
The winner will play the loser of the game between Southeastern Oklahoma State and Central Oklahoma for the right to play in the regional championship game. The championship game will be played on Sunday.

SUCCESS IN MAY
This is the 11th straight year Emporia State has played in the NCAA Tournament. They have a 32-24 (.571) overall record in NCAA Tournament play.  The Hornets are 17-12 in NCAA tournament elimination games all-time. Emporia State has played in ten of the last 12 MIAA Tournament championship games with eight titles. Since 2001 the Hornets are 48-14 (.789) in the MIAA Tournament play with a 47-10 (.846) record over the last 12 tournaments.

HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State has finished as the NCAA Division II National Runners-up twice, in 2006 and 2008. The Hornets have qualified for NCAA Regional play 11 straight years and 12 times in the last 19 seasons. The 11 straight years in NCAA Tournament play is the fourth longest active streak in the nation. The Hornets won the NAIA National Championship in 1983 and 1984 and won the AIAW National Championship in 1980.

TAKE THE FIFTH
• Emporia State has outscored it's opponents 81-22 in the fifth inning this year.
• The Hornets are 35-3 when scoring at least five runs.  
• Emporia State is 37-1 when leading after five innings.
• ESU has ended three games in the fifth inning by the run rule - and have won a total of five run rule games this year.

HOW DO THEY RANK
Entering the NCAA Tournament Emporia State is leading the nation in double plays per game, turning 0.64 double plays per game. The Hornets also lead the MIAA and are ranked 18th in the nation with a .970 fielding percentage.  Tricia Vogel leads the MIAA in putouts and double plays fielded while Taylor Zordel leads the league in assists. Kaitlyn Caston has set the Emporia State single season record for wins with 33 and leads the nation in that category.  The Hornets lead the MIAA in doubles, sac flies and batters hit by pitch. Individually Stephanie Goodwin leads the MIAA with 17 doubles and 79 hits. Tricia Vogel leads the MIAA with four sacrifice flies at the plate.

THROUGH ADVERSITY
The Hornets have gone through several events that have brought them together as a team.  Freshman pitcher Eryn Stockman's mother Mija was in a three-car accident on the morning of December 20th, 2013 on her way to the last day of work before Christmas break. She sustained multiple injuries including a basilar skull fracture with major bleeding and swelling in her brain and a broken ankle.  The team has been involved in several activities to help the family, including the entire team and coaching staff taking part in the Miles of Smiles for Mija Color Run on March 30 in Lindsborg, Kan. The run raised nearly $30,000 to help offset costs of Mija's rehabilitation at the Madonna Rehab Hospital in Lincoln, Neb. Two weeks before the Color Run senior secondbaseman Taylor Reichard suffered a broken ankle while sliding into third base and was lost for the season.