EMPORIA STATE STAYS ALIVE AT MIAA TOURNAMENT

May 4, 2019-Emporia State picked up their second walk-off win of this year's MIAA Tournament in a 4-3 victory over Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon.
 
The RiverHawks struck first getting a two run single from Alyssia Crick in the second inning.  Northeastern State went up 3-0 when Crick tripled in Kelsey Harmon in the fourth inning.
 
Emporia State got a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to get on the board. Destiny Ojigoh doubled with one out and went to third on Kenzie Garvin's infield single.  Gabby Biondo reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with one out.  Hannah Steeby then sent a ground ball through Haley Acrey's legs at third to drive in two runs .
 
In the bottom of the seventh Garvin led off with a triple to right center and scored on Biondo's single to center to tie the game.  Biondo stole second and the RiverHawks elected to intentionally walk Steeby for the second time in the game. Valerie Kinney then worked a walk to load the bases with no outs.  Brylie Bassett delivered the game winning single up the middle to propel the Hornets to the loser's bracket championship game.
 
Bassett scattered four hits over the final 3.0 innings without allowing a run to pick up the win in the circle as well as delivering the game winning RBI.  Officially Steeby was hitless in two at bats but reached base three times, twice on intentional walks and once on an error on a hard hit ball that plated two runners.
 
Emporia State will take on Missouri Western at 6:30 p.m. for the right to face tournament host and #1 ranked Central Oklahoma on Sunday in the championship game.
 
FIRST GAME
Hannah Steeby hit her third home run in as many games and Montana Mesler struck out eight as Emporia State defeated Central Missouri 6-1 to stay alive in the MIAA Tournament.
 
Steeby hit a two run homer in the bottom of the first to get Emporia State on the board.  Destiny Ojigoh made it 3-0 with a solo home run in the bottom of the second.
 
Central Missouri scored with a two out RBI double by Ashley Cook in the top of the third.  The Hornets answered in the bottom of the third.  The Hornets tried a double steal and UCM's throw to try and get Kenzie Garvin at third was wild, allowing Garvin to score to make it 4-1.
 
Emporia State got a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a two run single by Brittanie Shepherd.
 
Steeby was three for three with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and three stolen bases.  Mesler went the distance in the circle allowing one run on five hits with eight strike outs and just one walk.
 
The Hornets take on Northeastern State at 4:00 p.m. Saturday in another elimination game.