March 5, 2021-Emporia State softball has matched their best start since 2014 as the defeated Concordia-St.Paul and MSU-Moorhead on the first day of the ESU 5-State Classic at the Trusler Sports Complex on Friday.

ESU 3, CSP 1
Clara Heislen homered on the fourth pitch of the game but that would be the only run of the game for Concordia-St.Paul as Kelsey Phillips shut them down the rest of the way in a 3-1 Emporia State win. 
In the bottom of the first Abbey Ward singled and Phillips walked before Roni Raines hit a two RBI single up the middle to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.  It would stay that way until Raines led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer to left to give Emporia State and insurance run.
Raines went two of three with three RBI, a run scored and a home run. Phillips went the distance in the circle striking out eight and not allowing a walk while scattering seven hits and the lead off home run for the only Bears run of the game.
 
ESU 9, MSUM0 (5 innings)
Emporia State used a seven run third inning to take control on the way to a 9-0 win in five innings over Minnesota State-Moorhead.
The Hornets jumped out in front 2-0 in the first when Kelsey Phillips singled and went to second on an error by the Dragon centerfielder. Rachel Kauss followed with a walk. Phillips stole third and was able to come home on a throwing error by the catcher.  Kerrigan Dixon followed with an RBI single up the middle to put Emporia State up 2-0.
After Dixon tossed a shutdown top of the third, the Hornets exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Emma Furnish started things with a walk and stole second.  Roni Raines doubled her home to make it 3-0.  After a flyout to center by Phillips, the next seven Hornets reached base.  Dixon and Destiny Ojigoh each doubled during the inning while Raines had a bases loaded single that drove in two and capped the scoring for the inning as Emporia State took a 9-0 lead.
Dixon gave up two singles in the fourth but retired the final four batters she faced for the shutout, ending the game with a strikeout.  She finished with a two hit shutout and did not walk a batter while going three for three with two RBI as a batter. Raines was two for three with a double and three RBI.
 
With the win Emporia State improved to 7-1 on the season, matching their best start since 2014. They will be back in action on Saturday against Mo.-St. Louis at 3:00 p.m. and Southwest Baptist at 5:30 p.m. at the Trusler Sports Complex.