February 3, 2018-Valerie Kinney went four for seven and drove in four runs as Emporia State defeated Colorado School of Mines and UT-Permian Basin on Saturday at the Lubbock Sports Softball Classic in Lubbock, Texas.
The Hornets scored six unearned runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to turn a 5-2 deficit into an 8-5 win against Colorado School of Mines in the first game. Katy Rae Nordman had a pinch hit two RBI single to plate the game winner for Emporia State.Â
Val Kinney went four for four with two RBI while Annie Rockley was one for four with two RBI and Hailey Cope scored two runs with two stolen bases while going one for four as well. Montana Messler went the distance in the circle, allowing five runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks for her first win.
A two run third and a three run fifth inning proved to be the difference in Emporia State's 7-4 win over Texas-Permian Basin in the nightcap. With the score tied at 2 in the third Hailey Cope put the Hornets ahead with an RBI double and then scored on Danielle Sprinkle's RBI single. Emporia State went up 7-2 in the fifth thanks to RBI singles from Kinney and Destiny Ojigoh along with a RBI ground out from McKenna Davis. They would need thee support as UTPB loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the seventh and after scoring two runs had the tying run at the plate when the Hornets turned a 4-3 double play to end the game.
Hailey Cope was three for four with two runs and an RBI while Val Kinney was one for four with two RBI. Annie Rockley was two for four with two runs and an RBI in the game. Destiny Ojigoh picked up her first win allowing four runs, three of them earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts while going one for three with an RBI at the plate.
Emporia State will wrap up play in Lubbock on Sunday with two more games. The Hornets take on Midwestern State at 10 a.m. followed by a noon game against Chadron State.
