March 16, 2016-Emporia State capped their double header with a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth in game two to earn a split against Texas A&M-International on Wednesday at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets fell 6-5 in game one and came back for the 11-8 win in game two.
MATINEE
The Hornets scored in the bottom of the first in game one when Morgan Swisher scored on a single by Sarah Glass and would go up 3-0 when Eryn Stockman helped herself with a two run homer in the bottom of the second.
The Dustdevils were able to answer with four runs in the top of third thanks in large part to two Emporia State errors. Taylor Vines led off with a single and was able to go to second when Swisher mishandled the ball in left field. Brenda Parnin then hit a grounder to second and Katie Yoakum chose to try to get Vines going to third and threw the ball away. That allowed Vines to score and Parnin to go to second. Brittany Mussett singled to plate Parnin and was able to go to second when the throw from centerfield missed the cutoff. Brandi Giles followed with a triple to right field and scored on Chelsea Capello's single. The Hornets were able to get out of the inning with a fielder's choice, strikeout and line out to center to strand two runners.
Errors would play a role in the next two runs for TAMIU in the top of the fourth. Vines reached when her fly ball was dropped by Glass at short. Parnin doubled to center and was able to go to third when the throw in missed the cutoff again and got away from Casady Marlnee at the plate. Stockman was able to get two shallow fly balls to keep Parnin at third until Capello reached on a fielding error by Glass at short that allowed the Dustdevils sixth run to cross the plate.
Danielle Sprinkle gave the Hornets some life with a two out homer in the fifth to pull within 6-4. Stockman drew a one out walk in the sixth and went to second on a wild pitch. Valerie Kinney hit a pinch hit single up the middle to score Stockman but that would be the end of the scoring as Emporia State fell 6-5.
NIGHT CAP
Emporia State would again get out in front first in the second game with three unearned runs in the third inning. Caitlin VanVleck led off with a walk. Carlie McComb's ground ball to third was mishandled by Vines and her throw pulled Anna Parnin off the bag when she tried to get VanVleck at second. Swisher grounded out to first to advance both runners before Yoakum singled through the right side and went to second as the throw was not in time to get McComb coming home to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead. Yoakum was then thrown out trying to steal before Glass hit a home run to left for a 3-0 Hornet lead.
Capello was called out for touching the ball outside the batter's box to start the fourth for TAMIU before they recorded four straight singles, the last being a two RBI drive to left to get the Dustdevils on the board. The Hornets got out of the inning when Vines lined out to McComb at third who then fired across the diamond to double Erika Sanchez off first.
Stockman came on in relief of starter Hannah Wright to start the seventh. She got a fly out to right before giving up a double to left center by Vines. Stockman struck out Brenda Parnin for the second out of the inning and then walked Mussett. Giles hit a grounder to short that Glass could not handle and the error allowed the tying run to score. After another walk loaded the bases Alyssa Acuna launched a grand slam to left that gave the Dustdevils a 7-4 lead headed to the bottom of the seventh.
VanVleck beat out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the seventh for the Hornets. Swisher singled with one out and Yoakum walked to load the bases. Erica Harper had a pinch hit single to score VanVleck and keep the bases loaded. Sprinkle walked to make it 7-5 and keep the bases loaded. Berry then beat out a high chopper that TAMIU pitcher Krystal DeLaCruz had to leap for to pull the Hornets within a run. Kinney then drove in the tying run with a single through the right side and Emporia State was able to force extra innings.
Stockman did not allow a ball out of the infield in the top of the eighth to keep the Dustdevils off the board despite going to the international tiebreaker. DeLaCruz matched her in the bottom of the inning to send the game to the ninth.
With Vines place on second to start the ninth, Brenda Parnin doubled to left to give TAMIU an 8-7 lead. A ground out sent Parnin to third and a shallow fly ball to left kept her there. Stockman walked Capello before ending the inning with a strikeout of Acuna, who had hit the grand slam off of her in the seventh.
The Hornets started the bottom of the ninth with Yoakum on second and she went to third on a ground out by Harper. Singles by Sprinkle and Berry gave the Hornets two runners when Kinney launched a walk off three run homer to left center for the 11-8 win.
THE NUMBERS
Valerie Kinney was three for six on the day with a home run and five RBI while Cassidy Berry went five for seven with and RBI and a run scored. Danielle Sprinkle was three for seven with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Eryn Stockman went 1-1 in the circle, allowing a total of 12 runs, only three earned, on 12 hits with nine strike outs and four walks in 10.0 innings. Hannah Wright got a no decision after going 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on six hits in the second game.
UP NEXT
Emporia State will take part in the Apple Market Classic this weekend in St. Joseph, Mo. Games are scheduled to begin on Friday with the Hornets taking on Sioux Falls at 10:00 a.m.
