February 27, 2021-The Emporia State softball team split two games on Saturday at the Ichabod Invitational in Topeka, Kan. The Hornets fell to Mo.-St. Louis 9-3 in the first game and came back to defeat Mary 5-4 in their second game to improve to 3-1 on the season.
GAME 1
The Tritons scored an unearned run in the top of the first. The Hornets answered with two unearned runs of their own in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. The first three Tritons reached to start the third inning on back to back doubles and a single with all three eventually scoring to take a 4-2 lead. They added four runs in the fourth to go up 8-2. They led 9-2 in the bottom of the fifth and had a chance to end it early but
Roni Raines was able to gun down the potential tenth run at the plate to extend the game.
Raines then led off the sixth with a single and with one out pinch hitter
Josie Harrison was hit by a pitch.
Destiny Ojigoh sent a rocket to left that was snagged to prevent extra bases. With two outs
Emma Furnish was hit by a pitch and
Abbey Ward worked a walk to force in a run. However the Hornets could not get another run across and would leave the bases loaded. That would end up being the last run of the game as Emporia State fell 9-3 to suffer their first loss of the year.
Kerrigan Dixon started and went 4.0 innings before being relieved by
Kelsey Phillips with two on in the fifth. Phillips would toss 2.0 innings allowing just one hit and a walk.
GAME 2
Emporia State was the team to get out in front early in the second game. They batted around in the first inning, scoring three runs on two hits with three walks and a hit batter. Mary got one of the runs back In the second inning and another in the fourth to pull within 3-2. Both of the runners who scored had reached base via a walk.
With one out in the fourth
Emma Furnish doubled and one out later
Kelsey Phillips delivered and RBI single to make it 4-4. The Marauders scored a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to tie the game at 4-4. In the bottom of the frame
Destiny Ojigoh singled and went to second on a single by
Josie Harrison.
Brittanie Shepherd reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two outs.
Abbey Ward and Furnish were both hit by a pitch to drive in Ojigoh and give the Hornets a 5-4 lead.
Harrison would retire eight of the final nine batters she faced for the complete game win.
The Hornets will wrap up play at the Ichabod Invitational on Sunday with games against McKendree at noon and Minnesota-Crookston at 2:00 p.m. at the Hummers Sports Complex.
