EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL GETS PAIR OF RUN RULE WINS AT NORTHWEST MISSOURI

April 26, 2019-Emporia State got a road run rule sweep of an MIAA opponent for the first time since March 24, 2018 with a double header win at Northwest Missouri on Friday. The Hornets won game one 11-3 and took the nightcap 10-0, both in five innings.
 
GAME ONE
Neither team scored in the first two innings of the matinee although the Hornets left the bases loaded in the second. They would then burst through with four runs in the third.  Kenzie Garvin reached on a lead off bunt then went to second on a passed ball.  Gabby Biondo followed with an infield single that plated Garvin.  Kelsey Phillips reached on an error and both she and Biondo cmae home on Hannah Steeby's single. Steeby stole second and would come home when Valerie Kinney reached on a error to give Emporia State a 4-0 lead.
The Hornets added three more in the top of the fourth. Kailee Odegard led off with a single and went to second on an error by the second baseman.  Garvin reached on another error by the second baseman to put runners at first and second.  With Biondo at the plate, Odegard stole home to give Emporia State a 5-0 lead. Biondo sacrificed Garvin to third and one out later Steeby delivered an RBI single to go up 6-0.  After another stolen base she was driven in by a Rachel Kauss single to make it 7-0.
Northwest got on the board with a lead off homer by Karli Allen in the fourth. After a after a walk to Kiana Baderdeen Sydney Brashear hit a two run homer to pull the Bearcats within 7-3.  Montana Mesler settled down and got the next three outs to end the inning.
Emporia State answered immediately in the top of the fifth.  Cassidy Beem doubled to center to open the inning.  Brittanie Shepherd singled to left center and Beem came home on a throwing error by the pitcher. Odegard followed with a single that plated Shepherd and then stole second.  After a ground out advanced her to third Biondo squeezed her in to give Emporia State a 10-3 lead.  Biondo stole second and scored on Steeby's single to right center to push the lead to eight runs.
Mesler got all three outs in the bottom of the fifth via strike out sandwiched around a error to end the game after five innings.
Steeby went three for four with four RBI and two runs scored to pace the offense.  Mesler went the distance in the circle, allowing three runs on four hits with two walks and eight strike outs.
 
GAME TWO
The Hornets wasted no time scoring in the nightcap. Garvin led off with a single and went to third on Biondo's double to right.  Phillips hit a sac fly to make it 1-0 and Steeby followed with an RBI single to go up 2-0 after half an inning.
They added four more in the top of the second all with two outs. With one out Shepherd walked and Odegard reached on a fielder's choice. After a stolen base Garvin and Biondo had back to back RBI singles before Phillips delivered the big blow of the inning, a home run to left that made it 6-0.
Emporia State kept the pressure on in the third with three runs on four hits. Beem reached on a fielder's choice and went to second on an infield single by Shepherd.  With two outs Garvin hit an RBI single and Biondo followed with a bases clearing triple to give the Hornets a 9-0 lead.
The Bearcats loaded the bases with one out but got out of the inning when Kauss snagged a line drive at first and Sydney Righi got a fly ball out to end the threat. Brylie Basset pinch hit for Kauss with one out in the fourth and hit her second home run in three games to put the Hornets in double figures.
Biondo was three for four with a single, double and triple on her way to three RBI and two runs scored. Garvin was three for three with three runs scored and two RBI while Phillips was one for two with a homer and three RBI. 
Righi went the distance for her seventh complete game and second shut out of the season.  She scattered seven hits while striking out three and allowing one walk.
 
The Hornets will wrap up the regular season on Saturday when they travel to Missouri Western.  First pitch in St. Joseph, Mo. is set for 12:00 p.m. 
 
NOTES:
With the two wins Emporia State, the defending MIAA Tournament Champions, clinched a spot in this year's tournament.
The last time Emporia State had two run rule wins on the road in the MIAA was on April 24, 2018 against Lincoln.
The last time Emporia State had two run rule road wins in MIAA play against a team other than Lincoln was April 7, 2012 at Pittsburg State.