#15 Emporia State Hornets (27-11, 10-4 MIAA)
vs. Ft. Hays State Tigers (21-16, 12-8 MIAA)
April 10, 2015 • 5:00 p.m. • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan. Â
 Series Record: ESU leads 40-26 Last Meeting: ESU 8, at FHSU 0 (3/14/2014) Â
vs. Neb.-Kearney Lopers (12-23, 10-10 MIAA)
April 11, 2015 • 1:00 p.m. • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan. Â
 Series Record: ESU leads 18-11 Last Meeting: ESU 14, at UNK 10 (3/15/2014) Â
 Up Next: at Central Okla. • April 14, 2015 • Broncho Softball Field • Edmond, Okla.
SECOND HOME OPENER Â
The #15 Hornets take on Ft. Hays State and Neb.-Kearney on the new artificial turf of Turnbull Field in the Trusler Sports Complex. The first game on the new surface will be Friday against the Tigers while the Hornets will hold Senior Day on Saturday against the Lopers.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State ended their four game road trip with a split at Southwest Baptist on Monday in Bolivar, Mo. The Hornets won the first game 3-0 and gave up three runs in the bottom of the seventh to fall 4-3 in the second game. Taylor Zordel led off the fifth with a single and scored on Stephanie Goodwin's MIAA record tying 66th career double. Kaitlyn Caston then singled in Goodwin for a 3-0 lead. Caston tossed a two hit shutout for her 11th win of the year. She helped her own cause going three for three with an RBI. In the night cap the Hornets stranded 11 runners and could only score three runs on five hits with five walks and four Bearcat errors. Eryn Stockman took the loss allowing four runs on five hits with five walks. Jessica Gragg was two for four with two runs scored.
THE COACHES
Julie LeMaire is 156-55 in her fourth season at Emporia State. She has been named MIAA Coach of the Year twice in her three years with the Hornets. She is 244-131 in her seventh season as a head coach. She came to Emporia State after three years at Ft. Hays State. She is 26-16 in the post season with an 18-10 record at Emporia State. She is 6-4 against FHSU while at Emporia State and 4-0 against UNK while with the Hornets.
Adrian Mohr is 21-16 in her first year as head coach at Ft. Hays State. This is the first meeting with Emporia State for the former Hornet assistant.
Holly Carnes is 29-50 in her 15th year at Neb.-Kearney. She is 0-4 against Emporia State.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 27-11, 10-4 in the MIAA and ranked #14 in this week's NFCA Division II Top 25. The Hornets lead the MIAA with a 2.48 team ERA and steals with 2.03 per game. Stephanie Goodwin leads the MIAA and is ranked third in the nation with 52 RBI and is batting .434 this year. Taylor Zordel is 15th in the nation in stolen bases with 32 and has a stolen 43 straight. Kaitlyn Caston is 11-2 with a 2.49 ERA while Eryn Stockman is 10-7 with a 2.33 ERA in the circle.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Ft. Hays State is 21-16, 12-8 in the MIAA. Tori Beltz is hitting .328 with six home runs and 32 RBI. In the circle Kelsey Kimmanu is 10-7 with a 2.82 earned run average and Paxton Duran is 10-8 with a 2.86 ERA.
ABOUT THE LOPERS
Neb.-Kearney is 12-23, 10-10 in the MIAA. Katie Ruwe is hitting .440 with four home runs and 43 RBI. Cassie Roessing is 11-6 with a 3.25 ERA.
THE SERIES WITH FHSU
The Hornets lead the all-time series with the Tigers 40-26.
THE SERIES WITH UNK
Emporia State leads the all-time series against Neb.-Kearney 18-11 and have won all four MIAA contests.
UP NEXT
The Hornets begin a ten game season ending road trip on April 14 against Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. They will then travel to William Jewell for a non-conference game on Thursday in Liberty, Mo.
TAYLOR MADE
Short stop Taylor Zordel (Sr./Topeka, Kan.) is batting .406 on the season and is second the MIAA in hits with 57, runs at 42 and stolen bases with 32 in 32 attempts. She has stolen an MIAA record 43 straight bases dating back to last season. That is the 17th longest streak in Division II history. She has been the toughest player to strike out in the MIAA with just one K in 143 at bats to rank ninth nationally.  She was a third-team NFCA All-American as a sophomore at short stop.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE
Outfielder Stephanie Goodwin (Sr./Lenexa, Kan.) is one of 25 finalists for the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Division II Player of the Year. is batting .434 with five home runs, 17 doubles and 52 RBI on the season. She is ranked third in the nation in RBI for the 15th ranked Hornets. She has tied Amanda DeCastro of Pittsburg State's MIAA record of 66 career doubles set from 2009-12. She broke Angela Mahan's Emporia State career record for doubles when she laced her 65th against Missouri Southern last weekend. She is ranked second among active Division II players in career doubles and is third among all three divisions. She is 19th all-time in Division II in career doubles. She is ranked third all-time at Emporia State with 179 career RBI. She is currently on an 18 game hitting streak. She was an honorable mention Daktronics All-American outfielder last season after earning second-team NFCA and third-team Daktronics All-American honors as a freshman designated player.
IT'S NOT GRAGGING
Third baseman Jessica Gragg (Sr./Topeka, Kan.) is batting .357 with nine doubles and 31 RBI on the season. She is leading the MIAA and ranked 12th in the nation in sac flies and is 14th in the MIAA in RBI. She is a career .360 hitter and was ranked 22nd in the nation last year with 62 RBI as she was selected honorable mention Daktronics All-American by CoSIDA.
CASHING IN
Pitcher/designated player Kaitlyn Caston (Sr./Burlington, Iowa) is 11-2 in 13 starts with a pair of shut outs. She tossed a five inning no hitter against Lincoln. She is batting .314 on the year and is second on the team with five home runs. She had one of the most durable seasons in Emporia State history last year. She set the Emporia State single season record for wins, appearances and complete games. Her 36 wins broke Kaylynn Schrock's MIAA record of 34 set during Central Oklahoma's national championship run in 2013. Â
NOBEL PRIZE
Right fielder Caitlyn VanVleck (Fr./Liberty, Mo.) is one of 25 finalists for the NFCA National Division II Freshman of the Year. She has started all 38 games and is batting .375 with 33 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. Â
SUCCESS IN MAY
Emporia State has played in 11 straight NCAA Tournaments and 12 overall. They have a 35-25 (.583) overall record in NCAA Tournament play. The Hornets are 20-13 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.
