February 26, 2015-In games rescheduled from a neutral site in North Texas to Austin, Texas due to weather, the #17 Emporia State softball team dropped both ends of a double header at St. Edwards. The Hornets lost game one 7-3 and fell 2-1 in eight innings in the night cap.
Emporia State scored first in both games. Taylor Zordel got the Hornets on the board first in the matinee with an RBI single in the second that scored Brenda Novelo. The Hilltoppers then put up five runs in the third highlighted by a grand slam from Morgan Dufour. The Hornets got a run back in the top of the fourth on a RBI double from Kaitlyn Caston. St. Edward's got solo home runs in the fifth and sixth around a sac fly from Jacie Stephens that scored Zordel as the Hilltoppers won 7-3.
Zordel was two for three and reached base four times with a run scored and an RBI. Caston took the loss, allowing seven runs on ten hits with three strike outs and one walk. The Hornets turned a double play and Stephens threw out to would be base stealers to limit the damage.
Novelo hit an RBI single in the second inning of the second game to put the Hornets up 1-0. Emporia State had a chance to add to the lead in the top of the sixth when they loaded the bases with no one out. Caitlyn VanVleck was doubled up trying to score from third on Stephens line drive out to center and Novelo struck out to end the threat. St. Edwards tied the score in the bottom fo the sixth when Dufour doubled in Caitie Carney. The teams went to the international tie breaker in the eighth and Emporia State failed to score following a sacrifice, a pop out and a ground ball. The Hilltoppers used a sacrifice and Carney singled in the game winning run with two outs.
Van Vleck was two for three in the nightcap but Novelo was the only other Hornet with a hit.Eryn Stockman went the distance to pick up the loss, giving up two runs, one of them earned, on four hits with two walks and no strike outs.
The two teams will wrap up the three game series on Friday as the Hornets look to salvage game three of the series. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. in Austin, Texas.
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