EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL BEGINS BUSY WEEK WITH OKLAHOMA TRIP

Emporia State Hornets (17-13, 3-1 MIAA)  
at Northeastern State RiverHawks (15-14, 4-2 MIAA)
Tues. March 21 • 1:00 p.m. • RiverHawks Park • Tahlequah, Okla.
Series: ESU leads 24-22 Last: NSU 3, at ESU 1 (4/15/2016)
at #9 Central Oklahoma Bronchos (18-4, 2-0 MIAA)
Wed. March 22 • 1:00 p.m. • Broncho Softball Field • Edmond, Okla.
Live Stats  Complete Notes in pdf
Series: ESU leads 26-22 Last: UCO 3, at ESU 1 (4/14/2016)
Up Next: Lindenwood (DH) • Fri., March 24 • 2:00 p.m. • Trusler Complex • Emporia, Kan.

GETTING BUSY
The Hornets will play eight games in five days in three different cities beginning with MIAA doubleheaders at Northeastern State on Tuesday and #9 Central Oklahoma on Wednesday.

LAST AT BAT
After giving up three runs in the bottom of the seventh in game one, Emporia State came back with a shutout in the second game to earn a split at Newman.  The Hornets fell 9-8 in the opener and won 4-0 in the nightcap. Emporia State scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning of the matinee, highlighted by a three run home run by Hailey Cope, to take a 7-2 lead. The Jets would score three in the bottom of the 7th to take a 9-8 win. Danielle Sprinkle got the Hornets on the board with an sac fly in the top of the third and McKenna Davis delivered a two run single to give Emporia State a 3-0 lead in the nightcap.  It was more than enough for Eryn Stockman, who tossed a complete game, two hit shutout in the circle.

THE COACHES
April Huddleston is 38-45 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. She is 0-2 against both  Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma.
Cody White is 140-61 in his fourth year at Central Oklahoma. He is 6-5 against Emporia State in his career.
Clay Davis is 124-121 in his fifth year at Northeastern State. He is 7-4 against Emporia State in his career.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 17-13 on the season and 3-1 in MIAA play. The Hornets lead the MIAA in doubles and stolen bases while ranking third in runs and RBI. McKenna Davis leads the MIAA with 18 stolen bases. Sarah Glass and Jacie Stephens are tied for third in doubles with nine each.
As a team Emporia State is second in the MIAA and 15th in the nation with seven shutouts. Eryn Stockman is third in the MIAA in wins with 10, and ranks fifth with a 2.01 ERA and 54 strikeouts.

ABOUT NORTHEASTERN STATE
The RiverHawks are 15-14, 4-2 in the MIAA. Paige Gann leads the MIAA in homers with 12, RBI with 33, and has a league best .871 slugging percentage.
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series with Northeastern State 24-22.
LAST AT BAT VS. RIVERHAWKS
Emporia State was swept in a doubleheader at Trusler, falling 4-2 and 3-1 to Northeastern State.

ABOUT CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
The Bronchos are 18-4, 2-0 in the MIAA and ranked #9 in the NFCA National Poll. Morgan Heard is second in the MIAA with a .831 slugging percentage, three triples and seven homers.
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series with Northeastern State 24-22.
LAST AT BAT VS. BRONCHOS
Emporia State was swept in a doubleheader at Trusler, falling 4-2 and 3-1 to Central Oklahoma.

UP NEXT
Emporia State returns to the Trusler Sports Complex to take on Lindenwood on Friday, March 24 and Lincoln on Saturday, March 25.

HORNET HITTING
The Hornets lead the MIAA with 55 doubles and 60 stolen bases. Emporia State is second.
McKenna Davis leads the conference with 18 stolen bases, is second with 87 at-bats, third with 14 walks and eighth with six doubles.
Sarah Glass comes in third in the MIAA with nine doubles, eighth with 21 runs, and 11th with seven stolen bases.
Caitlin VanVleck sits fifth with 11 stolen bases.
Jacie Stephens is tied for third in the MIAA with nine doubles and is seventh with 33 hits.
Cassidy Berry is tied for eighth with eight stolen bases.
Hailey Cope is tied for eighth with seven doubles.

EMPORIA STATE PITCHING
Emporia State pitching has a 3.12 ERA and ranks second in the MIAA and 15th in the nation with seven shut outs.
Eryn Stockman is second in the conference with 101.0 innings pitched, comes in fourth with a .223 opponent batting average and is fifth with a 2.01 ERA. Stockman is sixth in the MIAA with 54 strikeouts and seventh with 13 struck out looking. She is one of four MIAA players with at least ten wins.

TRENDS
The Hornets are 13-0 when they hold opponents to two runs or less.
When Emporia State leads after four innings, they are 12-1.
The Hornets are out-scoring opponents 32-10 in the fourth inning.
Hailey Cope is currently on a team best seven game active hitting streak.

TOURNAMENTS WITH HUDDLESTON
Huddleston is 21-18 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 1-4 at the Southeastern Oklahoma State Tournament, 4-2 at the ASU George McCorkle Challenge, 5-1 at the 8-States Classic and 3-3 at the St. Cloud Indoor Tournament.

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 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.