EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL RETURNS TO MIAA PLAY AT CENTRAL MISSOURI AND LINCOLN

Softball | 3/23/2022 6:28:00 PM

Emporia State Hornets (12-14, 1-3 MIAA)
at Central Missouri Jennies (8-17, 2-2 MIAA)
Friday, March 25 • 3:00 p.m. (DH) • Warrensburg, Mo.
Series Record: ESU leads 62-47 • Last Meeting: UCM 4, at ESU 1 (4/9/2021)
at Lincoln Blue Tigers (11-10, 0-4 MIAA)
Saturday, March 26 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Jefferson City, Mo.
Series Record: ESU leads 32-3 • Last Meeting: LU 10, at ESU 5 (4/10/2021)
Video: None • Live Stats • Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: Northwest Missouri
Friday, April 1 • 3:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, Kan.

END OF THE ROAD
Emporia State wraps up a 32 game season opening road trip with MIAA double headers at Central Missouri and Lincoln.

LAST AT BAT
In their final road non-conference games of the season, Emporia State was swept at Drury. It was a pitching duel through the first four innings of the Panthers 2-1 win in the matinee with Drury getting the walk off win in the bottom of the seventh. The Hornets and Panthers were in another tight game until Drury erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth in for a 7-1 win in the nightcap.

THE COACHES
April Huddleston-Rosales is 162-165 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 5-6 against Central Missouri and 7-3 against Lincoln.
Susan Anderson is 461-338 in her 16th season as head coach for the Jennies.  She is 10-27 against Emporia State.
Christine Core is 31-101-1 in her fourth season at Lincoln. She is 2-2 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets are 12-16, 1-3 in the MIAA. Seven of their losses have been by one run with five coming in their opponents last at bat. Brittanie Shepherd is batting .388 to lead the offense. They lead the MIAA and are ranked 24th nationally in stolen bases. Sydney Righi is 3-5 with a 2.66 ERA as six Hornets have started a game in the circle.

ABOUT THE JENNIES
Central Missouri is 8-17, 2-2 in the MIAA. They are batting .260 with a 4.37 ERA.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the series 62-47.
LAST MEETING
Emporia State got two solid pitching performances but still fell 3-0 in the matinee and 4-1 in the nightcap to Central Missouri.

ABOUT THE BLUE TIGERS
Lincoln is 11-10, 0-4 in the MIAA. They lead the MIAA and are sixth in the nation in on-base percentage.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the series 32-3.
LAST MEETING
Emporia State split with Lincoln, winning the first game 8-4 and falling 10-5 in the second game.

ON DECK
The Hornets make their home debut on Friday, April 1 against Northwest Missouri. First pitch of the double header from Trusler is set for 3:00 p.m.

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is 162-165 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 a .317 batting average with 13 runs scored and ten RBI. She is hitting .458 with runners in scoring position. She is also a pitcher and has a 3.86 ERA in 29.0 innings pitched with a team-high 26 strikeouts.
First baseman Harley Sturm (Fr./Tecumseh, OK) is batting .256 with two home runs and eight RBI in 20 games. She is also a pitcher and is 3-4 with a save and a 5.69 ERA in nine appearances in the circle.
Second baseman McKensy Glass (So./Wichita, KS) has scored six runs while recording two doubles and seven RBI in 26 games with 22 starts this season. She is batting .188 on the season but her average goes up to .333 with runners on base and/or in scoring position.
Shortstop Abbey Ward (Jr./Olathe, KS) has started 79 of 82 games in her Emporia State career. She is batting .297 with two home runs with ten RBI and 15 runs scored this year and is 12 of 12 in stolen bases.  
Third baseman Karly Johnson (So./Lawrence, KS) has 15 RBI and nine runs scored in 26 games with 24 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 .388 with an OPS of 1.023 and a .470 on base percentage. She has a .591 average when leading off an inning. She has team-highs of 22 runs, 18 RBI, ten doubles and two triples.
Outfielder Alexis Dial (So./Topeka, KS) is batting .329 with 17 runs scored, eight doubles and 11 RBI. She has also swiped 14 bases in 18 attempts.
Outfielder Lexi Williams (So./Hutchinson, KS) is leading the MIAA in stolen bases per game with 18 steals in 20 attempts over 25 games. She is batting .288 with 15runs and 12 RBI.
Outfielder Emma Furnish (So./Goddard, KS) has scored ten runs in 19 games and is batting .241 on the season.

AT THE PLATE
Designated Player Roni Raines (Jr./Topeka, KS) has played in 23 games with 22 starts and has scored 14 runs with 11 RBI. She is batting .250 with a .392 on-base percentage thanks to five walks and a league high ten 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 eight RBI and five runs scored in 15 starts this season. She has thrown out two base runners and has a pick-off this year.
Flewelling is batting .273 with five runs and six RBI in 15 starts this season. She has thrown out one base runner this year.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Sydney Righi (Jr./Blue Springs, MO) has started ten games and is the team leader with 50.0 innings pitched. She has a 2.66 ERA with 27 strikeouts and is 3-5 on the year.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) is 1-1 with a save and a 3.86 ERA in 29.0 innings pitched. She also has a team high 26 strikeouts in 11 appearances with four starts. Harrison also has a .317 batting average.
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (Fr./Rossville, KS) has a 3.99 ERA in 33.1 innings in her first season with the Hornets. She has made five starts while appearing in ten games and is 1-3 on the season.
Pitcher Harley Sturm (Fr./Tecumseh, OK) is 3-4 with a save and a 5.69 ERA in nine appearances with three starts.
Pitcher Brylie Bassett (Sr./Oskaloosa, Kan.) is 2-2 with a 2.80 ERA in nine appearances with one start. She has ten strikeouts and just three walks in 25.0 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.