#17 Emporia State Hornets (30-12, 13-5 MIAA)
at
William Jewell Cardinals (21-18, 9-13 GLVC)
April 16, 2015 • 2:30 p.m. • William Jewell Softball Field • Liberty, Mo.
Radio: None Internet (Audio): None
Series Record: ESU leads 2-1 Last Meeting: at ESU 7, WJC 0 (April 3, 2004)
Up Next: at Northeastern State • April 18, 2015
RiverHawk Softball Field • Tahlequah, Okla.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The #17 Hornets begin their final ten game road trip with a non-conference double header at William Jewell. Emporia State has rescheduled games with Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State to be played over the weekend.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State left 29 runners on base in a double header split with Neb.-Kearney on Senior Day at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets won 5-1 in game one before falling 5-4 in ten innings in the second game. In the first game Sydney Owens went three for three with a run scored while Stephanie Goodwin was two for two with two RBI and two walks as she extended her streak of reaching base to eight straight plate appearances. Kaitlyn Caston picked up her 13th win of the year allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts. In the night cap the Lopers broke out for three runs in the top of the first inning. The Hornets came back and tied the game in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, before finally falling 5-4 in the tenth. Kelsee Henry got the loss in relief despite not allowing a run in 5.0 innings as the winning run reached base by the international tiebreaker. Taylor Zordel and Jessica Gragg were both two for five with a run scored while Zordel had an RBI on her first home run of the year.
THE COACHES
Julie LeMaire is 159-56 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 247-132 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. This is her first meeting with William Jewell while at Emporia State.
Dustin Combs is in his ninth year at William Jewell.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 30-12, 13-5 in the MIAA. They are fifth in the first NCAA Central Regional Rankings released this week and are #17 in this week's NFCA Division II Top 25. The Hornets lead the MIAA with a 2.36 team ERA and steals with 2.14 per game and are second in the league in batting average and fielding percentage. Stephanie Goodwin leads the MIAA and is ranked tenth in the nation with 54 RBI and is batting a league best .432 with 19 doubles. Taylor Zordel is 11th in the nation in stolen bases with 32 and has a stolen 46 straight. Emporia State is the only team in the MIAA with three pitchers with ERA's under 2.60 led by Kaitlyn Caston at 13-2 with a 2.31 ERA in the circle.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS
William Jewell is 22-19 overall and 9-13 in the GLVC. They have gone 7-5 against the MIAA this season. Nona Pauline is batting .379 with six home runs, 13 doubles and 29 RBI and is 8-9 with a 4.51 ERA in the circle. Faith Song is hitting .369 with nine homers and 30 RBI and is 6-3 with a 3.09 ERA in the circle.
THE SERIES
The Hornets lead the all-time series with the Cardinals 2-1 with meetings in 1992, 1993 and 2004. They have been scheduled to play several times since but have always been rained out.
LAST AT BAT WITH JEWELL
Deb Potter tossed a three hit shutout while Bree Beattie, Kelly Gartner and Ashley Boczek all had three RBI in a 7-0 win by the Hornets at the Trusler Sports Complex.
UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Oklahoma for weekend games at Northeastern State on Saturday and Central Oklahoma on Sunday. First pitch in Tahlequah is set for 12 noon on Saturday.
TAYLOR MADE
Short stop Taylor Zordel (Sr./Topeka, Kan.) is batting .403 on the season and is leading the MIAA in hits with 64, runs at 48 and and is second in stolen bases with 35 in 35 attempts. She has stolen an MIAA record 46 straight bases dating back to last season. That is the 16th longest streak in Division II history. She has been the toughest player to strike out in the MIAA with just one K in 159 at bats to rank fourth nationally. She has more career at bats than any other active player in Division II with 743 and ranks second among all NCAA Divisions. She is third in career stolen bases at Emporia State with 111 and is ranked fifth in Emporia State history 267 hits and 184 runs scored. 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 .432 with five home runs, 19 doubles and 54 RBI on the season. She is ranked third in the nation in RBI. She has the Emporia State and MIAA record for career doubles with 67 and is ranked second among active Division II players in career doubles and is third among all three divisions. She is 17th all-time in Division II in career doubles. She has 273 career hits and needs two more to tie Megan Davison for the Emporia State and MIAA career record. She is ranked third all-time at Emporia State with 181 career RBI and fourth with 186 runs scored. 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 .328 with nine doubles, five home runs and 31 RBI on the season. She is leading the MIAA and ranked 15th 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 13-2 in 15 starts with a pair of shut outs. She is fourth in the MIAA with a 2.31 ERA and opponents are batting just .248 against her to rank seventh in the MIAA. She tossed a five inning no hitter against Lincoln. She is batting .307 on the year and is second on the team with five home runs and 33 RBI. 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.
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 42 games and is batting .355 with 33 runs scored and 18 stolen bases.
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.
