HORNET SOFTBALL DROPS TWO GAMES AT MANKATO DOME CLASSIC TO OPEN SEASON

February 7, 2020-The Emporia State softball team dropped two games to open the season at the Mankato Dome D-II Classic in Mankato, Minn. on Friday. The Hornets fell 6-4 in eight innings to Concordia-St. Paul in the opener and lost the nightcap 3-0 to the host Mavericks.
 
CSP 6, ESU 4 (8 Innings)
The Hornets had a great start to the season, scoring four runs in the first inning, but they could not hold on as the Golden Bears won 6-4 in eight innings. Concordia-St. Paul scored two in the fourth and two in the sixth to force extra innings and then got two runs on just one hit in the eighth for the win.
Emporia State got RBI singles from Hannah Steeby and Rachel Kauss along with a sac fly from Jenna Spence as they took a 4-0 lead after one inning. Sydney Righi gave up only one hit through the first three innings, before CSP broke through for two runs in the fourth. She allowed four runners to reach base in the fifth but did not allow a run thanks to two fielder's choices and a strikeout to end the inning.
Brylie Bassett started the sixth in the circle and gave up two walks that both came around to score on a throwing error to tie the game at 2-2. Emporia State did not get a runner past first after the fourth inning and the teams went to the eighth tied at 2-2.  A walk and a single put two runners on base in the top of the eighth for the Bears and they advance on a sac bunt.  Clara Heislen laid down a squeeze bunt that drove in the go ahead run. Righi returned to the circle after that and gave up a sac fly to make it 6-4 before getting out of the inning.  The Hornets then went down in order in the bottom of the frame.
Bassett gave up four runs, two of them earned, on three hits with three walks to take the loss.  Offensively Steeby was two for three with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Gabby Biondo and Abbey Ward each went one for three with a run scored while Kauss was one for two with an RBI.
 
MSU 3, ESU 0
The Hornet offensive woes continued into the second game of the day as they were shutout 3-0 by the host Mavericks. 
Emporia State's Kelsey Phillips and Minnesota State's Mackenzie Ward each put zeros in the first three innings in the circle.  The Mavericks got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a two run home run by Sydney Nelson. They added an unearned insurance run in the inning when Kayla Moky reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on another fielding error.
The Hornets got one hit each from Gabby Biondo, Rachel Kauss and Maddy Broxterman but did not have a runner reach second base in the game.  Phillips gave up three runs, two of them earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
 
Emporia State will play both Concordia-St.Paul and Minnesota State again tomorrow starting at 5:00 p.m. in Mankato.