March 25, 2016-Emporia State dropped both ends of a double header at Pittsburg State on Friday afternoon. The Hornets fell 1-0 in the matinee and 10-4 in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
Eryn Stockman and Emmie Robertson locked up in a pitchers' duel in the first game of the day and the Gorillas were able to scrape across an unearned run in the third inning for the win.
The lone run of the game came after Jordan Bradshaw reached on an error to open the third inning. She went to second when the Hornets couldn't get an out on Ashton Pratt's bunt. A successful sacrifice put runners on second and third before Stockman got a pop up to short for two outs. Nicole Nease then singled up the middle to score Bradshaw before Catilin VanVleck hit Katie Yoakum who threw home as Jacie Stephens tagged out Pratt to end the inning.
The Hornets twice got VanVleck in scoring position later in the game but could not score. She walked to lead off the fourth and went to second on a sacrifice but was left there after a foul out and strike out. VanVleck doubled with two outs in the sixth before another strike out ended the inning. Cassidy Berry singled with one out in the top of the seventh but was thrown out trying to steal second.
Stockman went the distance, scattering six hits over 6.0 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. She only allowed one unearned run.
GAME TWO
Emporia State had a two run lead after scoring single runs in the third and fourth before Pittsburg State exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth in a 10-4 Gorilla win.
Morgan Swisher singled and scored on Sarah Glass single in the top of the third and Danielle Sprinkle hit a lead off homer for a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Hornet starter Holly Hinkel gave up back to back to back home runs to start the fourth inning and give Pittsburg State a 3-2 lead. An error and walk followed by a double made it 4-2. Another walk loaded the bases and an error allowed the fifth run to score in the inning. Glass was able to throw out a runner at the plate for the first out of the inning and a pop out made it two away before Nicole Nease hit her second home run of the inning, a grand slam, to make it 9-2. Eryn Stockman relieved Hinkel and got out of the inning.
Katie Yoakum and Swisher each singled to lead off the fifth and Caitlin VanVleck reached on an error to load the bases. Glass singled through the left side to plate two and pull Emporia State within 9-4. A double play and foul out ended the inning. The Gorillas added another run when Nease hit her third homer of the game with two out in the sixth.
Hinkel took the loss, allowing nine runs with only three earned on eight hits with two walks in 3.2 innings. Glass was two for three with three RBI while Swisher was two for four with two runs scored.
NOTES
The 1-0 loss in game one was the 14th one run game for Emporia State in 33 games this season. They are 6-8 in those games. Last year the Hornets had 15 one run games out of 55 total games, going 7-8 in those games. It was the third 1-0 loss of the season and in two of the games the run was unearned.
UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Missouri Southern on Saturday to take on the Lions. First pitch in Joplin, Mo. is set for 12 noon.
