April 22, 2017-In the final regular season double header of the season, the Emporia State softball team split at Missouri Western on Saturday in St. Joseph, Mo. The Hornets won game one 6-2 and fell 6-3 in the second game.
GAME ONE
The Hornets fell behind 2-0 in the second inning of the first game. Emporia State came back with two runs of their own in the top of the third. Annie Rockley doubled in McKenna Davis for the first run and then Hailey Cope singled in Rockley to tie the game. The Hornets got an insurance run in the sixth when Danielle Sprinkle hit a sac fly to plate Cope. Emporia State blew the game open with a Sarah Glass three run home run in the top of the seventh as they snapped the Griffons seven game winning streak.
Eryn Stockman went the distance for her 21st win of the year. She allowed two runs, only one of them earned, on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Glass was one for three with the three run homer while Rockley went one for three with two runs scored.
GAME TWO
Missouri Western got on the board first in the nightcap with a single run in the second inning. Emporia State took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third on a two run single by Jacie Stephens. The Griffons tied the game in the bottom of the third when Morgan Rathman hit her MIAA record 32nd career triple to lead off the inning and scored on Shelbie Atwell's single. Atwell then hit a two run homer in the fifth to give the Griffons a 4-2 lead. Kailey Green followed with a solo home to chase Hornet starter Holly Hinkel. Eryn Stockman came in and got out of the inning with a pair of ground outs. The Hornets got one of the runs back in the top of the sixth on a double by Danielle Sprinkle that plated Katie Yoakum. The Griffons got another solo homer from Katie Klosterman for the final run of the game.
Hinkel gave up five runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings to take the loss. Jacie Stephens was one for four with two RBI.
The Hornets will have to wait out games on Sunday and Monday to find out their MIAA Tournament fate. They are currently in seventh place with a two game lead on the two teams directly behind them, both of whom have four games remaining.
