April 23, 2019-In the final non-conference games of the regular season Emporia State managed a split at William Jewell on Tuesday afternoon. The Hornets won the matinee 5-4 and fell 7-5 in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
The Cardinals had nine base runners through the first five innings but Kelsey Phillips and Brylie Bassett held them to single runs in the third and fifth innings to keep the Hornets in the game.
Emporia State, who had seven base runners of their own through the first five innings, broke through with five runs in the sixth inning. Gabby Biondo started things with a bunt single and Hannah Steeby got Emporia State on the board with her tenth home run of the season to tie the game. With two outs Cassidy Beem was hit by a pitch and Valerie Kinney sent her to third with a double. Brittanie Shepherd followed with a double of her own to give the Hornets a 4-2 lead. Kenzie Garvin finished the scoring with an RBI single to make it 5-2.
William Jewell got one run back in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 5-3. Mackenzie Thornton started the bottom of the seventh in the circle for Emporia State and gave up a double and a single as the Cardinals pulled within a run. The Hornets got a ground ball to third for the first out of the inning. With pinch runner Taytum Carson on third, Sarah Lewis hit a ground ball to third and Kailee Odegard was able to gun down Carson trying to score to preserve the one run lead. Thornton got a foul out to end the game.
GAME TWO
William Jewell scored a run in the first but Emporia State starter Sydney Righi was able to get out of the inning on a 153 ground out. The Hornets took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the fourth. Valerie Kinney led off with a double and Jenna Spence sent pinch runner Kailee Odegard to third with a single. Brylie Bassett was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Mackenzie Thornton delivered a two run double down the right field line.
The Cardinals would answer with five runs on four hits and a walk in the bottom of the fourth. Aly Manhart had the big hit of the inning, a two run homer that made it 6-2. Montana Mesler came on in relief after the homer and got a strikeout to end the inning. The Hornets got one of the runs back in the top of the fifth thanks to singles from Destiny Ojigoh, Spence and Bassett. Mesler had a shut down inning in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of fly outs and a grounder to second.
Emporia State got back to back singles from Maddy Lavelle and Gabby Biondo with one out in the top of the sixth, but fielder's choice and a pop up to short ended the threat. William Jewell then scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when lead off hitter Madelynne Greenstreet doubled down the left field line, stole third and scored on a wild pitch.
The Hornets threatened in the top of the seventh when Odegard singled up the middle and Bassett hit a two run homer with one out to pull within 7-5.
Emporia State will wrap up the regular season with a pair of road double headers at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. The action starts on Friday at 2:00 p.m. in Maryville, Mo. against Northwest Missouri.
