EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL SPLITS TURNPIKE TUSSLE DOUBLE HEADER AT WASHBURN

April 25, 2021-Emporia State softball split their Turnpike Tussle doubleheader at Washburn on Sunday afternoon, winning the first game 6-3 and falling in the second 4-2.
 
Game 1
The Hornets used a four run seventh inning to secure a 6-3 win in the matinee.
 
After two scoreless innings, Emporia State would break the ice with a run in the third.  With two outs Abbey Ward singled and stole second before Roni Raines doubled her home.  Washburn would tie the game in the fifth.  Marrit Mead reached on a fielder's choice and beat the throw to second on another fielder's choice by Hadley Kerschen.  Ashton Friend doubled to score Mead and tie the game at 1-1. With one out Jaycee Ginter lifted a fly ball to right field.  Kerschen tried to tag up and score but Emma Furnish sent a laser to the plate to complete the double play and end the inning.
 
Rachel Kauss led off the sixth with a walk and was replaced on the bases by McKensy Glass. She went to third on a double by Brittanie Shepherd and then scored on a wild pitch to put Emporia State up 2-1.
 
The Hornets would get four insurance runs in the top of the seventh.  With one out Ward singled and stole second. Roni Raines and Kelsey Phillips both walked to load the bases. Kauss hit a ground ball to second and Ward was able to beat the throw home to give Emporia State a 3-1 lead.  Shepherd followed with a two RBI single to right center to make it 5-1.  Destiny Ojigoh then delivered a ground rule double to left center that plated Kauss and put the Hornets up 6-1 going to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Washburn got a two run double from Friend with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Phillips struck out Ginter to end the game and five Emporia State a 6-3 win.
 
Abbey Ward was three for three with two runs scored and was hit by a pitch to reach base in all four plate appearances.  Brittanie Shepherd was two for three with a walk, a double and two RBI while Roni Raines went two for three with a double, a walk, a run and an RBI.  Kelsey Phillips went the distance in the circle, scattering nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks while allowing three runs.
 
Game 2
Washburn took advantage of three Emporia State errors and the Hornets left ten runners on base in the 4-2 Ichabod victory in the night cap.
 
The Hornets got on the board first again in the second game.  With one out in the first Abbey Ward beat out an infield single.  She went to third on a single by Brittanie Shepherd.  Roni Raines laid down a sac bunt and Washburn pitcher Jaycee Ginter threw the ball over the catcher's head trying to get the Ward coming from third.  Bri Francis corralled the ball and threw to Ginter who was covering home and was able to block the plate and tag Shepherd out trying to score from second as Emporia State took a 1-0 lead.
 
With one out in the bottom of the third Marrit Mead hit a ground ball into the hole at second.  Gabby Biondo was able to dive and get a glove on it but the ball deflected into foul territory allowing Mead to get to second base.  After a flyout to left Ashton Friend hit a double down the right field line that tied the game. Ginter then reached on an error at second that allowed Friend to score as Washburn took a 2-1 lead.
 
The Ichabods would get a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth.  With one out Mead singled and Hadley Kerschen singled to put runners on first and third.  After a flyout Ginter delivered a two run double to left center to put Washburn up 4-1.
 
Alexis Dial led off the top of the seventh with a solo homer to energize the Hornets.  Gabby Biondo then reached on a bunt single and went to second on a ground out by Ward.  Shepherd hit a line drive to third that bounced out of Mead's glove to put runners on first and second.  Raines fouled out to leftfield for the second out before Kauss walked to load the bases.  Destiny Ojigoh then hit a grounder to short and the Ichabods were able to get the force at third to end the game.
 
Alexis Dial was two for three with a run and an RBI on her home run. Sydney Righi started and went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs, three of them earned, on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk.
 
Emporia State will be back in action on Monday when they travel to Missouri Southern.  First pitch of the double header in Joplin, Mo. is set for 2:00 p.m.