February 13, 2015-The #18 Emporia State softball team split two games on the opening day of the 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Ark. on Friday. The Hornets opened with a 4-2 win over Harding and fell 7-2 to Ark. Tech in the night cap.
In the opener Caitlyn VanVleck got the Hornets on the board with a two RBI single in the second that scored Brenda Novelo and Danielle Sprinkle. Stephanie Goodwin doubled in Taylor Zordel and would come around to score on Kaitlyn Caston's sacrifice fly in the fifth to give Emporia State a 4-0 lead.
The Bison scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to pull within 4-2 but Caston retired six of the final seven batters to secure the win.
Caston would scatter eight hits of 7.0 innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
In the night cap Ark. Tech scored first off starter Eryn Stockman getting a single run in the top of the third. Emporia State would answer quickly with two runs in the bottom of the inning. VanVleck walked and scored on Zordel's single. After a pair of hit batters and a strike out Zordel scored on Jacie Stephens' ground out for a 2-1 lead.
The Golden Sun would score six runs on six hits with three home runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-2 lead. The third home run brought Kelsee Henry on in relief of Stockman and after giving up two singles, retired the final four batters she faced. The Hornets would load the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh but could not capitalize when Henry lined into a double play.
Emporia State continues the 8-State Classic on Saturday when they take on Drury and Northwestern Oklahoma.
