EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL SEASON ENDS IN MIAA TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL

May 4, 2019-Emporia State's try for a third straight trip to the MIAA Tournament championship game came up short in a 5-3 loss to Missouri Western in the loser's bracket final on Saturday evening in Edmond, Okla. It was the third game of the day for the Hornets, who earlier defeated Central Missouri 6-1 and Northeastern State 4-3.
 
Emporia State got off to a strong start as they sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the first.  With two outs Hannah Steeby worked her fourth walk of the tournament and went to third on Valerie Kinney's single to left center. Cassidy Beem put the Hornets out front with an infield single that scored Steeby.  Destiny Ojigoh was then hit by a pitch to force in another run, but the Hornets would leave the bases loaded.
 
Montana Mesler kept the Griffons off the board for the first three innings.  With one out in the fourth Taylor Hoelscher singled and after a foul out went to third on Marissa Guenther's single.  Brea Blanton followed with a single off Rachel Kauss glove at first base that scored Hoelscher.  With runners at first and third Guenther was scored on a double steal to tie the game. Lauren Houston followed with an RBI double to left field to five the Griffons a 3-2 lead.  Houston would score one batter later on Steeby's throwing error that allowed Morgan Frost to make it all the way to second.
 
Guenther would double to lead off the sixth and Blanton gave the Griffons an insurance run with a single up the middle.  Mesler would retire the next three batters to keep the Hornets within striking distance.
 
After giving up the two first inning runs, Lexi Kinnaird held the Hornets to just two hits until the seventh inning.  With two outs Kenzie Garvin doubled and scored on Gabby Biondo's single up the middle.  Steeby, who hit three home runs and had six RBI in the five tournament games, came up representing the tying run.  Kinnaird was able to strike her out at the end of an eight pitch at bat to end the game.
 
Mesler battled through the full 7.0 innings giving up four earned runs and five total on 11 hits with six strikeouts and one walk.
 
The Hornets end the season 28-28 and were one of the last three teams playing in the MIAA Tournament for the third straight year.