May 2, 2019-Hannah Steeby had three RBI including the game winner in the bottom of the seventh as Emporia State stayed alive in the MIAA Tournament with a 3-2 walk off victory over Pittsburg State on Thursday afternoon in Edmond, Okla.
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For the second straight game in the tournament, the Hornets fell behind in the first inning. Pittsburg State scored two runs on a Kaity Kukowski double with two outs in the top of the first.
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The Hornets got on the board in the bottom of the third. Gabby Biondo reached on a bunt single and Steeby delivered her second home run in as many days to make it 2-2.
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After giving up the two runs in the first, Kelsey Phillips settled down and faced one over the minimum until the sixth. She gave up back to back singles to start the inning, but came back to retire the next three straight getting a strikeout to end the inning.
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Brylie Bassett started the seventh in the circle for the Hornets. She hit a batter and gave up a walk with one out before settling down to get a fly ball out and a lineout to end the inning.
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Destiny Ojigoh led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side. Pinch runner Maddy Broxterman went to second on a wild pitch and took third on a sac bunt. Biondo popped up for the second out, bringing Steeby to the plate with first base open. The Gorillas elected to pitch to her and she laced a grounder off Halle Brin in the circle and beat out the throw at first allowing Biondo to score the game winner.
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Bassett picked up the win in relief after Phillips went the first 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and just one walk. Steeby ended the day two for three with a home run, three RBI and a run scored.
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With the win Emporia State advances to play again on Friday. They will take on the loser of the game between #1 Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri. First pitch of the elimination game is set for 12:30 p.m. at Broncho Softball Stadium in Edmond, Okla.
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