April 13, 2019-Emporia State finished the MIAA portion of their schedule undefeated with a double header sweep of Neb.-Kearney on Saturday at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets walked off to win the matinee 8-7 and then took an 11-4 victory in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
The opener was a back and forth affair with the lead changing hands in each of the last three half innings. UNK started the scoring with a Cheyenne Hamilton homer in the second inning, but Emporia State answered in the bottom of the inning when Destiny Ojigoh reached on a throwing error by Hamilton at third and would score on two ground ball outs later. The Lopers went in front 2-1 in the third Kaitlyn Johnson walked and scored from first on Alexis Ray's two out single. Ray was caught trying to take second on the throw to avoid any further damage.
Emporia State tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Valerie Kinney worked a lead off walk and Mackenzie Thornton pinch ran for her. Thornton would go to second on a sac bunt and to third when Brittanie Shepherd reached on a fielding error by the Loper pitcher Erin Hallman. Thornton would score on a double steal to make it 2-2 going to the fifth.
Ray put UNK back in front with a two out, two RBI single in the top of the fifth. The Hornets got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning when Hannah Steeby singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice squeeze bunt.
Steeby tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when her bunt single plated Kenzie Garvin who had led off with a single and went to second on Biondo's single and third on a sac bunt by Rachel Kauss. Cassidy Beem worked a walk to load the bases and then Kinney got her second walk of the game to drive in the go ahead run.
The Lopers scored three unearned runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-5 lead. In the bottom of the seventh Garvin walked with one out and stole second. Biondo singled her in to cut the deficit to 7-6. After a stolen base Kauss delivered a single to right to put runners at first and third. Steeby tied the game on a double to left and Grace Moore, who was running for Kauss, scored the game winner when Ojigoh hit a grounder to short and Johnson's throw was errant.
GAME TWO
The Hornets used a five run second inning to take control in the night cap. After the Lopers scored single runs in the first and second, Emporia State sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the second. Kinney tied the game with a two run single through the left side and Biondo gave the Hornets a 5-2 lead with a bases loaded double.
The Lopers scored two runs in the top of the third but the Hornets answered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. RBI doubles from Kinney and Odegard were sandwiched around a sac fly from Shepherd to make it 8-4. Biondo doubled in the fourth and scored on two ground outs to make it 9-4. Brittanie Shepherd hit an RBI triple in the fifth and then scored on a wild pitch to give Emporia State an 11-4 lead after five complete.
The Lopers got a two run homer from Hamilton in the top of the seventh but Brylie Bassett forced a pop out to short and ended the game with her only strike out to complete the double header sweep.
Emporia State will finish the season on the road, beginning on Friday, April 19 at #2 Central Oklahoma. First pitch in Edmond, Okla. is set for 2:00 p.m.
