EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL GOES TO KANSAS CITY FOR MIDWEEK AGAINST WILLIAM JEWELL

Softball | 3/15/2022 5:12:00 PM

Emporia State Hornets (12-12, 1-3 MIAA)
at
William Jewell Cardinals (3-11, 1-1 GLVC entering Tuesday's action)
Wednesday, March 16 • 2:00 p.m. (DH) • Kansas City, Mo.
Series Record: ESU leads 7-6 • Last Meeting: WJC 4, at ESU 2 (3/10/2020)
Video: None • Live Stats
Up Next: at Drury
Saturday, March 19 • 2:00 p.m. (DH) • Springfield, Mo.

MORE NON-CON ACTION
Emporia State steps back out of MIAA play for the first of two non-conference double headers starting with William Jewell on Wednesday. The games will be played at the Urban Youth Academy in Kansas City, Mo. due to construction on the Cardinals home field in Liberty, Mo.

LAST AT BAT
The Hornets split a pair of one run games at Newman on Sunday, defeating the Jets 8-7 in game one and falling 10-9 in the nightcap. Emporia State led 8-1 going to the bottom of the seventh in game one before Newman scored six runs in the opener. In the nightcap the Hornets trailed 10-4 going to the sixth when the scored five runs capped by Emma Furnish's three run homer to pull within 10-9.

THE COACHES
April Huddleston-Rosales is 162-161 in her seventh year as the head coach at Emporia State. She has taken the Hornets to two MIAA Championship games and the 2018 NCAA Central Sub-Regional Championship game. She served as an assistant coach for Emporia State for seven seasons. She was a member of both the Hornets national runner-up teams in 2006 and 2008. She is 5-4 against William Jewell.
Dustin Combs is 387-366 in his 16th year at William Jewell. He is 5-6 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets are 12-12, 1-3 in the MIAA and have yet to play a home game. Brittanie Shepherd is batting .405 with 18 RBI, 20 runs scored and is the only Hornet to start all 24 games. Alexis Dial is hitting .349 with 14 runs and 11 RBI. Lexi Williams has a team high 14 stolen bases. Six pitchers have at least 18 innings of work this season. Sydney Righi is 3-4 with a 2.81 ERA in eight starts. Josie Harrison is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 26 strikeouts.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS
William Jewell is 3-11 overall entering play on Tuesday. Allison Rawls is batting .385 with a four RBI and a team high eight runs. Kenzie Jones is 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA in seven starts in the circle.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the series 7-6 with 11 of the meetings in the last eight years.
 
LAST MEETING
The teams split a double header with Emporia State winning 9-1 in the first game and William Jewell taking a 4-2 win in the final game before sports shut down in 2020.

ON DECK
The Hornets continue their season opening road trip with a double header at Drury on Saturday,March 19. First pitch in Springfield, Mo. is set for 2:00 p.m.

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is 162-161 in her seventh season leading the Emporia State softball program. Since taking over the program in 2016, Rosales has led the Hornets to an MIAA Tournament Championship, two MIAA Tournament title game appearances, and an appearance in the NCAA Central Sub-Regional Championship.
Rosales was also a member of Emporia State softball during her playing days which included an run to the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2008 which resulted in a National Runner-Up finish. During the 2008 season, she hit .324 with 30 RBI while playing nearly every game at shortstop for the Hornets. She was named First Team All-MIAA that season.

AROUND THE DIAMOND
First baseman Josie Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) has appeared in 22 games for the Hornets this season and posts a .333 batting average with 13 runs scored and nine RBI. In addition to her abilities at the plate, Harrison also has the second-lowest ERA among the Hornet pitching staff at 3.21 in 28.1 innings pitched. She also has a team-high 26 strikeouts.
First baseman Harley Sturm (Fr./Tecumseh, OK) is batting .296 with two home runs and six RBI in 16 games. She is also a pitcher and is 3-3  with a save and a 6.11 ERA in eight appearances in the circle.
Second baseman McKensy Glass (So./Wichita, KS) has scored six runs while recording two doubles and seven RBI in 23 games with 20 starts this season.
Shortstop Abbey Ward (Jr./Olathe, KS) has started 75 of 78 games in her Emporia State career. She is nine of nine on stolen bases this season and has two home runs with seven RBI and six runs scored.
Third baseman Karly Johnson (So./Lawrence, KS) has 15 RBI and nine runs scored in 23 games with 22 starts. She has three doubles, a triple and a home run.

OUT IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Brittanie Shepherd (Sr./Kansas City, MO) has started every game this season. She is hitting .405 with an OPS of 1.058 and a .477 on base percentage. She has team-highs of 20 runs, 18 RBI, nine doubles and two triples.
Outfielder Alexis Dial (So./Topeka, KS) is batting .349 with 14 runs scored, eight doubles and 11 RBI. She has also swiped nine bases in 13 attempts.
Outfielder Lexi Williams (So./Hutchinson, KS) is batting .294 and has a team high 14 stolen bases in 15 attempts. She has scored 13 runs and driven 12 in 21 games with 19 starts.
Outfielder Emma Furnish (So./Goddard, KS) has scored eight runs in 16 games.

AT THE PLATE
Designated Player Roni Raines (Jr./Topeka, KS) has played in 20 games with 19 starts and has scored 13 runs with ten RBI. She is batting .286 with a .420 on-base percentage thanks to five walks and eight hit by pitches.

BEHIND THE PLATE
Catchers Maddy Broxterman (Sr./Meriden, KS) and Bailey Flewelling (So./Holton, KS) have split time behind the plate this year.
Broxterman is batting .306 with six RBI and four runs scored in 11 starts this season. She has thrown out two base runners this year.
Flewelling is batting .296 with five runs and five RBI in 13 starts this season. She has thrown out one base runner this year.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Sydney Righi (Jr./Blue Springs, MO) has started eight games so far this season and is the team leader with 37.1 innings pitched. She has a team-best 2.81 ERA and is 3-4 on the year.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) is 1-1 with a save and a 3.21 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched. She also has a team high 26 strikeouts in ten appearances with three starts. In addition to her abilities at the plate, Harrison posts a .333 batting average.
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (Fr./Rossville, KS) has a 3.80 ERA in 27.2 innings in her first season with the Hornets. She has made four starts while appearing in eight games.
Pitcher Harley Sturm (Fr./Tecumseh, OK) is 3-3 with a save and a 6.11 ERA in eight appearances with three starts.
Pitcher Brylie Bassett (Sr./Oskaloosa, Kan.) is 2-1 with a 2.90 ERA in seven appearances. She has nine strikeouts and just two walks in 19.1 innings.
Pitcher Jayda VanAckeren (Fr./Omaha, NE) has pitched in 22.2 innings this season, making five starts in eight total appearances. She has a 7.10 ERA and has recorded 14 strikeouts.