EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL RETURNS TO MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 9-5 WIN OVER LIONS

April 27, 2018- For the second straight year, Emporia State is headed to the MIAA Championship game.  The Hornets won 9-5 over Lindenwood in the MIAA Tournament Winner's Bracket Championship on Friday in Oklahoma City.  The Hornets' winning streak is now at 12 games, which is the longest since a 15 game-winning streak in 2012. 
 
Emporia State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against the Lions.  Kenzie Garvin hit a leadoff double and Danielle Sprinkle picked up the RBI on her two-out double to right field.  In the bottom of the second, Caitlin VanVleck reached base on an error and moved over to second on a sac bunt.  Katy Rae Nordman drove in VanVleck on her double to right center and would come around to score on a Cassidy Beem RBI double.  Annie Rockley had the third RBI double in the inning for the Hornets as Emporia State took a 4-0 lead into the third inning.  The Lions would cut into the lead in the top of the third scoring three runs on five hits.  After a scoreless fourth inning, Sprinkle drew a two-out walk and McKenna Davis was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth.  Both would come home to score on a Lions' error to make the score 6-3.  The Lions scored a run in the top of the sixth, but the Hornets responded with three runs of their own.  Rockley hit her second double of the game in the bottom of the sixth, driving in two runs.  After a Hailey Cope single, Sprinkle picked up an RBI on her sac fly to left field.  The Lions would score a run in the top of the seventh, but that would be the end of the scoring as the Hornets won 9-5 to advance to the MIAA Championship.
 
Annie Rockley had her 16th multi-hit game of the season, hitting two doubles with three RBI.  Danielle Sprinkle was one for two with two RBI, a double, and a run scored.  Cassidy Beem had two doubles with an RBI and two runs scored.  Katy Rae Nordman had a double and an RBI in the game for the Hornets.
 
Montana Mesler started the game in the circle for Emporia State, going four innings and giving up three runs.  Mackenzie Thornton pitched three innings of relief, giving up one run and striking out four hitters to earn her second save in as many days.
 
Emporia State has played in 12 of the last 16 championship games, winning eight titles in that span.  Last year, the Hornets advanced to the conference championship game as the number eight seed as well where they fell to top seed Central Oklahoma.
 
The Hornets will face the winner of Lindenwood and Central Oklahoma on Saturday, April 28 in the MIAA Championship.  First pitch from ASA Hall of Fame Stadium is at 11:00 a.m. and if there is a game two, due to the double elimination setup, it will follow the first game.