Softball | 3/15/2021 3:10:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (10-2, 0-0 MIAA)
at
Pittsburg State Gorillas (4-10, 0-0 MIAA)
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 • 2:00 p.m. • Pittsburg State Softball Complex • Pittsburg, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 80-54 •
Last Meeting: at ESU 7, PSU 6 (9) (March 6, 2020)
Live Stats •
Complete Notes in pdf
Next Up: vs. Minnesota State • Friday, March 19 • 10:00 a.m.
Hyvee Classic at Heritage Park • St. Joseph, Mo.
MIAA TIME
Emporia State opens up MIAA play at Pittsburg State in a double header on Tuesday that was postponed from Friday due to weather.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State finished the 5-State Classic with a five wins after posting a split on the final day. The Hornet lost to Wayne State (Neb.) 7-5 in their first game and came back to win 5-1 in the final game of the tournament. Emporia State took a 1-0 lead in the second and
Josie Harrison made sure itwould hold up, taking a no hitter into the fourth inning before surrendering a two out double. She then got a called third strike to end the inning.  She helped herself at the plate in the bottom of the fourth. She led off with a single and went first to third on a sac bunt.Â
Kerrigan Dixon then singled off the glove of a diving Hawk second baseman to drive in Harrison with an insurance run.
Gabby Biondo had two runs,
Kerrigan Dixon had two hits and
Destiny Ojigoh had two RBI in the 6-7-8 slots in the batting order for Emporia State.Â
Josie Harrison went the distance allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
THE COACHES
April Huddleston-Rosales is 139-128 in her sixth year as the head coach at Emporia State. She served as an assistant for seven seasons. She was a member of both the Hornets national runner-up teams in 2006 and 2008. She is 7-5 against Pitt State.
Ashley Balazs is 63-87 in her fourth year at Pittsburg State and 79-116 in five years as a head coach. She is 2-5 against ESU. Â
ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets are 10-2 on the year, their best start since opening the 2014 season 10-2. They lead the MIAA in on base percentage and are second in stolen bases.
Roni Raines is ninth in batting average and sixth in on-base percentage in the MIAA.
Kelsey Phillips is leading the MIAA with a 0.22 ERA and is 4-0 on the year.
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 4-10 on the year and have lost five of their last six games. They are hitting .243 as a team with a 5.00 team ERA and .951 fielding percentage. Kylee Bohle is batting .348 with seven runs and three RBI. Tayor Compton is 2-2 with a 3.85 ERA in the circle.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 79-55 and has won eight of the last nine meetings between the two.
LAST AT BAT WITH PITT STATE
Last year he Hornets split their MIAA opening double header falling 4-0 to Pittsburg State before getting a 7-6 walk-off win in nine innings in the nightcap. The Hornets trailed 4-1 going to the bottom of the fifth and 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh before rallying for the 7-6 win. A week later the spring sports season would be shut down by the COVID pandemic.
ON DECK
The Hornets are scheduled to play at the Hyvee Classic this weekend, opening the tourney against Minnesota State at 10:00 a.m. on Friday in St. Joseph, Mo.
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