April 19, 2015-Stephanie Goodwin had a single in the second game to break the MIAA and Emporia State career record for hits to provide a bright spot in the Hornets double header sweep by Central Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon. Emporia State lost the first game 8-0 in five innings and dropped the second game 17-8 in six innings.
The Hornets had the bases loaded with one out in the first inning of the matinee but a double play ended the inning. Emporia State would only get four base runners the rest of the game and never had two on base at the same time. The Bronchos scored single runs in each of the first three innings and put five on the board in the fifth to envoke the run rule.
Central Oklahoma scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first in the second game. Jessica Gragg led off the top of the second with a double and went to third on Caitlin VanVleck's bunt single. Gragg scored on a passed ball and Brenda Novelo singled in VanVleck to tie the score. Emporia State had the bases loaded with one out but UCO got a force out at home and another force out at second to end the inning. The Bronchos then scored eight runs in the bottom of the second inning. The Hornets got a run back in the top of the third on a sac fly by Novelo but Central Oklahoma scored another run in the bottom of the inning to lead 11-3.
Emporia State scored three runs, two of them unearned, in the fourth to pull back within 11-6. Goodwin singled during the inning to broke Megan Davison's MIAA and Emporia State career record of 275 hits and now has 276 in her career. A three run home run in the bottom of the fourth gave the Bronchos a 14-6 lead going to the fifth. Jacie Stephens doubled and Dani Sprinkle homered to start the fifth and pull the Hornets within 14-8 to keep the game alive. A solo homer in the fifth gave the Bronchos a 15-8 lead going to the sixth. Emporia State did not score in the top of the sixth and Central Oklahoma ended the game with a two run homer with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
Emporia State will continue their four game Oklahoma trip on Monday with a double header at Northeastern State.
NOTES
This was the first time Emporia State has been swept by run rule in both games as members of the MIAA.
