February 5, 2016-Emporia State opened the April Huddleston era with a split on the first day of action at Southeastern Regional Invitational in Durant, Okla. The Hornets fell 3-1 to Henderson State and defeated the hosts from Southeastern Oklahoma 12-6 in the night cap.
READY OR NOT
The Hornets had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh but could not push it across in a 3-1 loss to Henderson State in the opener. Both teams had plenty of opportunities as they combined to leave 18 runners on base. The Reddies, who edged the Hornets out of the final at large berth in last year's NCAA Regional, scored first with an unearned run in the third inning. They would add two more unearned runs in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead. The Hornets answered with an unearned run of their own in the sixth when Sarah Glass reached on an error and came home on Katie Yoakum's RBI single. Pinch hitter Valerie Kinney singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate, but was stranded as Henderson State took a 3-1 win.
Eryn Stockman went the distance for Emporia State giving up three unearned runs on six hits while striking out seven.
STORM'S A-BREWING
The bats exploded in the second game for the Hornets as they scored 12 runs on 15 hits in a 12-x win over the tournament hosts from Southeastern Oklahoma. Emporia State scored four runs in the first, highlighted by a three run homer from Erica Harper and a solo shot by Sarah Glass. Danielle Sprinkle hit a three run home run of her own in the second to give the Hornets a 7-1 lead. Single runs in the fourth and fifth had Emporia State on the verge of a run rule win with a 9-1 lead before the Savage Storm got a solo homer to extend the game. Marly Carmona hit a two RBI single in the top of the sixth to give the Hornets an 11-2 lead but a three run home by Southeastern's Mykaela Wallace kept the game alive. Katie Yoakum scored on a bases loaded 9-3-6 double play to make it 12-5 Emporia State headed into the bottom of the seventh. The Savage Storm added a run in the bottom of the seventh but the Hornets turned their own double play to end the game and even their record on the first day of action.
Harper was three for four with four RBI while Sprinkle went two for four with three RBI. Yoakum was one for two with three walks and scored three runs from her lead off position. Holly Hinkel went the distance in the circle, giving up six runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Hornets continue play in the Southeastern Regional on Saturday against Oklahoma Christian and Southwestern Oklahoma in Durant, Okla.
