February 21, 2015-The #17 Emporia State softball team went 4-1 at the Kelly Laas Memorial Crossover in St. Cloud, Minn. after splitting their final days action. The Hornets opened the day with a 9-2 win over Wayne State before falling 12-8 to #23 Augustana.
The Hornets scored early against Wayne State in the first game of the day, getting a pair of runs in both the first and second innings. The Wildcats got single runs in the first and third to give the Hornets a 4-2 lead headed to the fourth. Emporia State scored four runs in the fourth to take control with an 8-2 lead. They would add another run in the fifth on the way to the 9-2 win.
The second game was a top 25 match up with plenty of offense. The Hornets scored first with an RBI single from Stephanie Goodwin in the bottom of the first that plated Zordel. The Vikings answered with two runs in the top of the second. Emporia State retook the lead on a two run home run by Kaitlyn Caston in the bottom of the second. Augustana then scored three in the third to go up 5-3. The Hornets answered with two of their own in the bottom of the third on an RBI single from Jacie Stephens that scored Goodwin. Jessica Gragg would score the tying run on a wild pitch as the teams went to the fourth tied at 5-5.
The Vikings scored three more in the top of the fourth to take an 8-5 lead. Brenda Novelo got one of the runs back with a lead off homer in the bottom of the inning and Goodwin hit a two run double to tie the game back at 8-8. Augustana scored four runs on three hits with an error in the top of the fifth to take a 12-8 lead. The Hornets would strand two runners in the fifth and had a runner on in the seventh but would not score again.
The Hornets will travel to Denton, Texas next weekend to play two games each against St. Edwards and Texas Woman's.
