March 19, 2016-The Emporia State softball team split two games on Saturday at the Apple Market Classic in St. Joseph, Mo. The Hornets lost 6-0 to Minnesota State in their first game and came back with an 8-7 win over Wayne State in the second game.
MINNESOTA STATE
The Hornets fell behind early against the Mavericks and could not get enough offense started to mount a comeback. Minnesota State scored one run in the first with a bunt single, a sacrifice, a ground out and a passed ball. They made it 2-0 in the second with a solo home run and went up 4-0 on a pair of RBI singles in the third. Emporia State threatened in the fourth, getting runners on second and third on a hit batter and an error but could not break the shut out. Minnesota State added two runs in the top of the sixth and Emporia State mounted the most serious threat of the game in the bottom of the inning. With one out Sarah Glass walked and Danielle Sprinkle singled. After another out Valerie Kinney walked to load the bases, but the Hornets could not get anyone across.
Marly Carmona was two for two in the game while Danielle Sprinkle and Holly Hinkel each had one hit. Hinkel took the loss allowing six runs, five of them earned, on 12 hits with three walks and no strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
WAYNE STATE
Emporia State was the team to get in front early in the second game, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Morgan Swisher walked, Caitlin VanVleck reached on a fielder's choice error and Sarah Glass walked to load the bases with no one out. Danielle Sprinkle then cleared the bases with a double to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead. With one out, Eryn Stockman singled and went to second on the throw to put runners at second and third. Jacie Stephens, seeing her first action since March 4 due to an injury, then singled to score Sprinkle before Stockman was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning. Marly Carmona then singled in Stephens to give Emporia State a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the first. The Wildcats answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to pull within two runs.Â
Cassidy Berry doubled to lead off the third and went to third on Stockman's single. Stephens hit a sac fly to score Berry and give Emporia State a 6-3 lead. Berry used her speed to get the Hornets another run in the fifth. With one out she reached on an infield single, stole second, went to third and then scored on a passed ball for a 7-3 Hornet lead. In the sixth Swisher reached on a bunt single and would eventually come around to score on a Sprinkle single to give Emporia State an 8-3 lead going to the bottom of the sixth.
The Wildcats clawed their way back into the game with three runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the sixth to make it 8-6 going to the seventh. The Hornets were held scoreless in the top of the inning and Wayne State got a triple and single to start the bottom of the seventh and pull within 8-7. Stockman settled down and got a sacrifice and two ground outs to end the game and pick up her tenth win of the year.
Danielle Sprinkle went two for four with three RBI and a run scored while Morgan Swisher was two for two with two walks and two runs socred. Cassidy Berry was two for three with two runs scored while Eryn Stockman also had two hits. Jacie Stephens was one for three with two RBI and a run scored. Stockman went the distance allowing seven runs, six of them earned, on ten hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will wrap up the three day Apple Market Classic with games against Northern State and Winona State on Sunday. Game times have been adjusted to 11:00 a.m. against the Wolves and 5:00 p.m. against the Warriors to accommodate for cold temperatures in St. Joseph, Mo.
