April 20, 2019-Emporia State got a much needed road sweep at Northeastern State on Saturday in Tahlequah, Okla. The Hornets won game one 4-2 and pulled away late for a 10-1 win in game two.
GAME ONE
The Hornets got on the board early in the matinee on the way to their first MIAA true road win. With two outs in the first Rachel Kauss and Hannah Steeby hit back to back singles and Destiny Ojigoh walked to load the bases for Valerie Kinney. The senior responded with a two RBI double to right center to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead. Cassidy Beem then led off the second with the first of her three home runs on the day to make it 3-0 Hornets.
The RiverHawks pulled within a run in the bottom of the third. Alyssia Crick walked and Addie Elbon singled with one out before Jess Schuler laced a two RBI single to right center. Alex Azua would retire 15 straight Hornets to keep Northeastern State in the game until Beem unloaded her second homer of the game with one out in the seventh to give Emporia State an insurance run.
After giving up the two runs in the third, Montana Mesler nearly matched Azua in the circle, allowing only a walk as she retired 12 of 13 RiverHawks before Cameron Conrad got a one out single in the seventh. Kelsey Phillips came on in relief after that and retired the last two batters to pick up her third save of the season, all coming in her last five outings.
GAME TWO
Emporia State was on Northeastern State starter Gail Young from the beginning in the nightcap. The first four Hornets reached base in the top of the first as Kenzie Garvin singled, Gabby Biondo walked and Kauss reached on an error to load the bases before Steeby worked a walk for the first RBI. After a foul out Beem hit a sac fly to score Biondo and give Emporia State a 2-0 lead. The Hornets added a run in the third when Steeby was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on Beem's single to center.
Northeastern State scored their only run in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases and Kyla Ibarra walked to force in Schuler.
It stayed 3-1 until the top of the seventh when Emporia State exploded for seven runs. The first six Hornets reached base with Garvin getting an RBI single and Kauss an RBI double before Steeby cleared the bases with a three run homer. One out later Beem hit her third home run of the day to make it 9-1. Kinney then walked and came around to score on Brittanie Shpeherd's RBI double to cap the scoring.
Sydney Righi went the distance in the circle, scattering six hits and giving up just one run in 7.0 innings.
For the day Cassidy Beem went four for six with three home runs, five RBI and three runs scored. Steeby went three for five with four RBI and three runs scored in the two games.
Emporia State will step out of the MIAA on Tuesday when they travel to Liberty, Mo. to take on William Jewell in a non-conference double header. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
