EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL TO COMPETE IN 8-STATE CLASSIC

Emporia State Hornets (5-7, 0-0 MIAA) vs
Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (5-3, 0-0 GAC)
Feb. 17 • 11:00 a.m. • Series: ATU leads 4-2  Last: #11 ASU 3, ESU 1 (Feb. 3, 2017)    
Wayne State Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 NSIC)
Feb. 17 • 3:00 p.m. • Series: ESU leads 5-0  Last: ESU 9, WSU 2 (Feb. 21, 2015)
#18 Harding University Bisons (6-0, 0-0 GAC)
Feb. 18 • 11:00 a.m. • Series: ESU leads 2-0  Last: ESU 4, HU 2 (Feb. 13, 2015)
Drury University Panthers (0-0, 0-0 GLVC)
Feb. 18 • 5:00 p.m. • Series: ESU leads 2-1 Last: ESU 3, DU 0 (Feb. 14, 2015)
Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 NSIC)
Feb. 19 • 11:00 a.m. • Series: ESU leads 3-1  Last: ESU 2, Minn-Duluth 0 (Feb. 26, 2005)
#24 Missouri-St. Louis Tritons (6-4, 0-0 GLVC)
Feb. 19 • 1:00 p.m. • Series: ESU leads 8-5  Last: UMSL 5, ESU 1 (Feb. 16, 2014)
Tournament Central • Game Notes
Up Next: St. Cloud Indoor Tournament • Feb. 23-25 • St. Cloud, Minn.

TOURNAMENT TIME
The Hornets will continue tournament play in Bentonville, Ark. at the 8 States Classic. Emporia State will play from Feb. 17-19 against #11 Ark. Tech, #10 Wayne State, Harding, Drury, Minn.-Duluth and Missouri-St. Louis.
 
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State went 4-2 at the ASU George McCorkle Challenge, their two losses to Angelo State.
 
THE?COACHES
April Huddleston is 26-39 in her second year as the head coach at Emporia State. She is the tenth head coach of the Hornet softball program. She is head coach after having served as an assistant with the Hornets for seven seasons. Huddleston was a member of both the Hornets national runner-up teams in 2006 and 2008, and was named First Team All-MIAA at shortstop her senior year.
Kristina McSweeney has a 147-83 career record and is in her fourth season with Arkansas Tech.
Shelli Manson is in her third season as head coach at Wayne State, compiling a 61-47 record with the Wildcats.
Phil Berry is 92-82 as the head coach of Harding.
Chantiel Wilson is 141-171 in her seventh season as head coach at Drury.
Jen Walter is 35-17 in her second season as the head coach at Minnesota-Duluth.
Amanda Scott is 6-4 in her first season as head coach for Missouri-St. Louis. Scott is a former U.S. National team member.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 5-7 on the season after competing in two tournaments. The Hornets lead the MIAA with 26 doubles, 23 stolen bases, 61 RBI and eight home runs and are second with 64 runs and 100 hits.
Sarah Glass leads the MIAA with six doubles while McKenna Davis leads with eight stolen bases.
Eryn Stockman is second in the MIAA with both 23 strike outs and 38.2 innings pitched.
 
ABOUT ARKANSAS TECH
The Golden Suns are 5-3 on the season, defeating Emporia State 3-1 earlier this season.
 
ABOUT WAYNE STATE
The Wildcats went 27-26 last season and 21-9 in the NSIC.
 
ABOUT HARDING UNIVERSITY
The #18 Bisons are 6-0 on the season after competing in the UAM Challenge.
 
ABOUT DRURY UNIVERSITY
The Panthers went 18-32 last season with an 11-19 record in the GLVC.
 
ABOUT MINNESOTA-DULUTH
The Bulldogs had a 36-16 record last season, with a 21-7 NSIC record.
 
ABOUT MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
The #24 Tritons are 6-4 on the season after two tournaments.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State will travel to St. Cloud, Minn. to compete in the St. Cloud Indoor Tournament from Feb. 23-25.

HORNET HITTING
The Hornets lead the MIAA with 26 doubles, eight home runs, 61 RBI, 36 walks and 23 stolen bases and are second with 64 runs and 100 hits.
Caitlin VanVleck is fifth in the MIAA with 13 hits and is tied for sixth with three doubles. McKenna Davis leads the MIAA with eight stolen bases and is tied for third with 14 hits. Sarah Glass leads the MIAA with six doubles, is tied for second with five stolen bases, tied for third with two home runs, tied for seventh with seven RBI, tied for eighth with 11 hits and is tenth with a .742 slugging percentage. Jaci Stephens is tied for seventh in the MIAA with seven RBI and tied for third with two home runs. Katie Yoakum is tied for third in the MIAA with four doubles. Hailey Cope is tied for sixth with three doubles in the MIAA. Cassidy Berry is tied for fourth in the MIAA with four stolen bases.
 
EMPORIA STATE PITCHING
Emporia State pitching has a 6.45 ERA with 33 strikeouts, good enough for fourth in the MIAA. The Hornet pitching staff has a .289 opponent batting average.
Eryn Stockman is second in the MIAA with 23 strikeouts and 38.2 innings pitched. Stockman is seventh in the conference with a .220 opponent batting average.
Holly Hinkel is one of ten MIAA pitchers with two or more wins on the season. Hinkel has a 5.88 ERA with five strikeouts in 33.2 innings pitched.
Kaelah McMullin is 1-0 on the season with a 12.00 ERA. McMullin has pitched in 3.0 innings.
 
TOURNAMENTS WITH HUDDLESTON
April Huddleston is 13-14 in tournament play as head coach at Emporia State. The Hornets went 4-1 at the St. Cloud Indoor Tournament last season and 2-2 at the Ark.-Monticello Tournament in 2016. In the 2017 season, Huddleston went 4-2 at the ASU George McCorkle Challenge.
 
SUCCESS IN MAY
Emporia State has played in 12 NCAA Tournaments with a 35-25 (.583) overall record in NCAA Tournament play.  The Hornets are 20-13 in NCAA tournament elimination games all-time. Emporia State has played in ten of the last 14 MIAA Tournament championship games with eight titles. Since 2001 the Hornets are 49-16 (.753) in MIAA Tournament play with a 48-12 (.800) record over the last 13 tournaments.
 
HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State has finished as the NCAA Division II National Runners-up twice, in 2006 and 2008. The Hornets have qualified for NCAA Regional play in 11 of the last 13 years and 12 times in the last 21 seasons. The Hornets won the NAIA National Championship in 1983 and 1984 and won the AIAW National Championship in 1980.
The Hornets were MIAA regular season champions four straight years from 2005-08 and MIAA Tournament champions seven straight years running from 2004-10. Emporia State has claimed the regular season title (2005-08, 2010-12, 2014) and the tournament title (2004-10, 2012) eight times each in the 21st Century.