April 15, 2022-It was a tale of two games on Friday at the Trusler Sports Complex as Emporia State softball was held to one run in the opener before exploding for 13 runs in the nightcap of their double header split with Pittsburg State. The Hornets fell 10-1 in six innings in game one and won 13-7 in game two.
GAME ONE
The Hornets scored first but the Gorillas followed with ten unanswered runs in a 10-1 run rule victory for Pitt State.
Both teams stranded multiple runners in the early going with Emporia State getting on the board first in the second inning.
Brittanie Shepherd was able to single in
Lexi Williams with two outs to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.
Pitt State would take the lead on a two run homer from Kianna Pellegrino in the top of the fourth inning. They added three runs in top of the fifth on back to back doubles from Pellegrino and Tristan Hinkle to go up 5-1. The Gorillas added five runs with two outs in the top of the sixth, aided by two Emporia State errors, as they took a 10-1 lead.
Brittanie Shepherd was two for three with the lone RBI for the Hornets in game one.
GAME TWO
Pittsburg State was the team to score first in the night cap, but Emporia State would score 13 runs in their final three at bats to take a 13-7 victory.
Kianna Pellegrino had an RBI single in the first and Keelah Griffith delivered an RBI ground out in the third as the Gorillas took an early 2-0 lead.
Things started to turn in the fourth inning. Pitt State loaded the bases with no outs but Emporia State was able to get out the inning thanks to a force out at home, an infield fly and ground out to first.
Lexi Williams then led off the bottom of the inning with a single off the pitcher and
Abbey Ward followed with an RBI double.
Maddy Broxterman gave the Hornets the lead with a two run homer to centerfield to make it 3-2 going to the fifth.
The Gorillas answered with a two run homer from Griffith to take a 4-3 lead. After the home run
Gracie Rabe replaced
Jayda VanAckeren in the circle and retired the next three batters to keep it a one run game.
The Hornets would erupt for six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Singles from
Emma Furnish,
Brittanie Shepherd and Williams loaded the bases for Ward. She would hit a ground ball to short but when the Gorillas tried to get the runner at third the throw was errant and allowed two runners to score. Broxterman followed with a two run single up the middle to give Emporia State a 7-4 lead. Two outs later
Bailey Flewelling made it 9-4 with a two run home run to center field.
The Gorillas scored three in the top of the sixth on five singles to pull within 9-7 headed to the bottom of the inning. Furnish started the bottom of the sixth with a walk for the Hornets and went to third on a failed pick-off attempt. Shepherd followed with an RBI single to make it 10-7. A walk by Williams preceded Ward getting hit by a pitch to load the bases for Broxterman. The senior came through with a two run single to left that scored two runs and gave her six RBI for the game. An RBI ground out by Rabe finished the scoring and gave the Hornets a 13-7 lead going to the seventh inning. Rabe then worked a hitless top of the seventh to earn her fourth win of the year.
Broxterman was three for four with a home run, six RBI, and three runs scored while Ward had a double, two RBI and three runs scored for the Hornets.
Emporia State will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when they play host to Missouri Southern. First pitch of the double header is set for 1:00 p.m.
