EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH #16 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

April 18, 2021-Emporia State split a double header with #16 Central Oklahoma, defeating the Bronchos 5-4 in the matinee before falling 8-1 in the night cap.

Game One

The Hornets trailed 3-0 after one inning but used a three run fifth inning to defeat the nationally ranked Bronchos 5-4.

Jacee Minter hit a two run homer with one out and Taylor McKittrick delivered an RBI single to put UCO up 3-0 in the first.  They had the bases loaded when Kerrigan Dixon induced a pop up to short to end the inning. 
Emporia State got on the board in the bottom of the second.  Brittanie Shepherd singled with two outs and went to third on Cassidy Beem's double to left.  Emma Furnish capped a nine pitch at bat with a two run single up the middle to pull the Hornets within 3-2.

Shayla Harper hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth to give the Bronchos a 4-2 lead. Gabby Biondo singled to lead off the bottom of the inning and with one out Roni Raines tied the game with a homer to left.  Rachel Kauss walked with two outs and Destiny Ojigoh doubled her in to give the Hornets a 5-4 lead.

UCO got two runners on in the top of the seventh but Dixon was able to get a ground ball to short and Ward tossed the ball to Ojigoh for the force out at third to end the game.

Gabby Biondo was two for four with a run scored while Roni Raines went one for three with two RBI, and a run scored on her home run. Emma Furnish went one for two with two RBI.  Kerrigan Dixon scattered 11 hits over 7.0 innings with just one walk while allowing four runs.
 
Game Two
Central Oklahoma used a five run second inning on the way to an 8-1 win over Emporia State in the second game.

Shayla Harper hit a solo homer in the first to start the scoring.  An infield single, a double, and another infield single loaded the bases for the Bronchos in the second.  Gabby Biondo got the first out of the inning by throwing out a runner coming home on a ground ball to second.  Tarin Dubler singled in a run before Harper hit her second home run in as many innings, this one a grand slam to left center, that gave UCO a 6-0 lead. 
 
The Bronchos added a run on a sac fly in the third and went up 8-0 with another sac fly in the top of the fifth.  In the bottom of the inning Brittanie Shepherd singled with one out and after Josie Harrison lined out to short, Cassidy Beem hit an RBI single to left to get Emporia State on the board.
 
Josie Harrison worked 5.2 innings in relief and gave up just two runs on two hits.  Brittanie Shepherd was two for three with a run scored.
 
The Hornets travel to Missouri Southern on Saturday, April 24 for their next action.  First pitch of the double header is set for 1:00 p.m. in Joplin, Mo.