March 31, 2018- Emporia State split day two of their weekend series against Washburn on Saturday in Topeka, Kan. The Hornets fell in the opener 8-0 in five innings and won the nightcap 9-7 in eight innings against the Ichabods.
WU 8, ESU 0
After the Ichabods scored two runs in the first and six runs in second, Kenzie Garvin and McKenna Davis led the third inning off with back-to-back singles, but would be left stranded as the Hornets trailed 8-0. Emporia State would get another scoring chance in the fourth as lead-off hitter Destiny Ojigoh got on after being hit by a pitch. Hailey Cope followed with a double to right center and Val Kinney would walk to load the bases with nobody out. The Hornets were unable to get a runner home after a strikeout and a double play lineout as the Hornets would fall 8-0 in five innings.
Hailey Cope was a perfect two for two at the plate and picked up her tenth double of the year. Kenzie Garvin and McKenna Davis each had two hits in the game. Mackenzie Thornton made her ninth appearance of the season, going 2.2 innings with a strikeout.
ESU 9, WU 7
In the second game, Emporia State got on the board in the first inning as Danielle Sprinkle hit a two-out double to score Caitlin VanVleck and give the Hornets an early 1-0 lead. The Hornets would pick up another run in the top of the second after Kenzie Garvin's RBI single to right center drove in Hailey Cope. After the Ichabods tied the game in the bottom of the second, the two teams would trade outs for the next two innings. Then in the top of the fifth, Annie Rockley would break the tie with a one-out home run to right center. After Washburn tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, McKenna Davis hit an RBI single and Rockley picked up two more RBI on her two-out single to give the Hornets a 6-3 lead. The Ichabods would tie the game again in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on three hits. The Hornets would come right back again in the top of the seventh as Cope would hit her third double of the game to score pinch runner Presley Miller. Washburn would tie the game in the bottom of the frame to send the game to extra innings. Garvin led the eight off with a single and would come around to score on an RBI single from Rockley. The Hornets would add another run in the inning as Rockley scored on a sac bunt from VanVleck. The two runs would be enough as Emporia State won 9-7 in eight innings.
Hailey Cope had four hits in the game to give her six total on the day. She also had three doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored. Annie Rockley was three for four with four RBI and hit her third home run of the year. Danielle Sprinkle and Kenzie Garvin each had two hits and an RBI for the Hornets. Montana Mesler improved to 7-9 on the year, pitching eight innings with eight strikeouts.
Emporia State travels to Hays, Kan. to face Ft. Hays State on Friday, April 6. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
