April 13, 2018- Emporia State finished their homestand by sweeping their second straight series on Friday. The Hornets won the opener 2-1 and extended their win streak to five games by beating the Jennies 4-2 in game two.
ESU 2, UCM 1
Emporia State scored two runs on eight hits in game one of the series. The Hornets opened up the scoring in the second inning as Danielle Sprinkle led the inning off with a single to left center and Caitlin VanVleck was able to reach on a one-out error. Katy Rae Nordman would come through with a two-out double to score two runs and give the Hornets a 2-0 lead. The Jennies would score a run in the top of the third, but would have a runner thrown out at home to hold the Hornets' lead at 2-1. Due to lightning in the area, the game went into a one-hour weather delay in the middle of the third inning. After the delay, both teams would go scoreless in the next three innings. The Jennies would get a runner on second base in the fifth and sixth inning, but pitcher Kelsey Phillips and the Hornets' defense were able to strand them as the Hornets would go on to win 2-1 in game one of the doubleheader.
Katy Rae Nordman was one for three at the plate with two RBI and a double. Annie Rockley and Danielle Sprinkle each had two hits in the game for the Hornets. Caitlin VanVleck and Kelsey Phillips both had a hit and a run scored. McKenna Davis hit her fourth double of the year.
Kelsey Phillips picked up her fourth straight win in the circle for the Hornets, improving to 6-9 on the season. She allowed only three hits in seven innings and the one run scored was unearned.
ESU 4, UCM 2
In the nightcap, the Jennies would jump out to a 2-0 lead by getting two runs in the top of the second inning. The Hornets would get runners on in the bottom of the third after Kenzie Garvin led the inning off with a walk and Annie Rockley was able to reach on an error. After Rockley took off for second base, Garvin would come home to score on the throw to make the score 2-1 in favor of the visitors. In the bottom of the fourth, McKenna Davis and Caitlin VanVleck led off with back-to-back singles. Katy Rae Nordman would drive in Davis on her double to left center. Cassidy Beem followed with a sac fly RBI to centerfield to give the Hornets a 3-2 lead. Danielle Sprinkle would give the Hornets an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth with her solo home run to left field. Central Missouri would go down one, two, three in the sixth and seventh as the Hornets won their second straight series sweep.
At the plate, Katy Rae Nordman was a perfect three for three with an RBI and a double. McKenna Davis was two for three with a run scored. Danielle Sprinkle hit her sixth home run of the year for the Hornets. Montana Mesler pitched her 15th complete game of the year, giving up one earned run and five hits.
The Hornets return to action on Wednesday, April 18 as they play a non-conference doubleheader against William Jewell. First pitch from Liberty, Mo. is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
