February 17, 2017-The Emporia State softball team extended their winning streak to four with wins in six of the the last seven outings with a sweep of the first day of the 8 States Classic in Bentonville, Ark. The Hornets defeated Ark. Tech 7-6 and run ruled Wayne State (Neb.) 8-0 in five innings.
Emporia State 7, Ark Tech 6
The Hornets scored two runs in the sixth to come from behind and defeat the Golden Suns 7-6 in the first game of the day. ATU, who had defeated Emporia State earlier this year, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Cassidy Berry tripled in McKenna Davis in the third to tie the game and Danielle Sprinkle singled her in to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.
Ark. Tech got a single run in the fourth to retie the game before Emporia State erupted for three runs in the top of the fifth. Holly Hinkel delivered a two run single to cap the inning and give the Hornets a 5-2 lead. The Golden Suns came right back in the bottom of the inning and scored four runs to take a 6-5 lead.
Davis led off the sixth with a walk and stole second. With two outs Sprinkle was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Jacie Stephens then delivered a two run double to right center to give Emporia State a 7-6 lead. Eryn Stockman, who had come on in relief with one out in the fifth, finished the game with 2.2 shutout innings to pick up the win.
Emporia State 8, Wayne State 0 (5 innings)
Stockman followed her 2.2 scoreless innings in the first game with a three hit shutout in the Hornets 8-0 run rule win against Wayne State. In the bottom of the first, Hailey Cope gave Emporia State all the offense they would need with a sac fly and Sarah Glass scored an insurance run when she scored on a passed ball. Katy Rae Nordman hit a two run single in the bottom of the fourth to give the Hornets a 4-0 lead.
The first four batters of the fifth all scored for Emporia State to invoke the run rule. Katie Yoakum led off with a double followed by a Berry single when Sprinkle hit a two run single to make it 6-0. A Stephens single advanced pinch runner Marly Carmona to third before she scored on a sac fly by Glass. Nordman's third RBI of the game ended the contest as Emporia State psoted an 8-0 victory.
Up Next
The Hornets continue play in Bentonville with games starting at 11:00 a.m. against Harding followed at 3:00 p.m. against Drury.
