SENIOR DAY TURNPIKE TUSSLE FOR EMPORIA STATE SOFTBALL AGAINST WASHBURN

Softball | 4/29/2022 3:05:00 PM

Emporia State Hornets (24-26, 13-11 MIAA)
vs.
Washburn Ichabods (40-11, 22-2 MIAA)
Saturday, April 30 • 1:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 96-62 • Last Meeting: at WU 4, ESU 2 (4/25/2021)
Video: The MIAA Network Live Stats: esuhornets.com
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (Game 1 only) Internet Audio: kvoe.com (Game 1 only)
Up Next: MIAA Tournament
Thursday, May 5 • TBA • Edmond, Okla.

SENIOR DAY TURNPIKE TUSSLE
As if the Turnpike Tussle and Senior Day were not enough, both Emporia State and Washburn are playing for postseason positioning in the final regular season double header of the season on Saturday. Entering Friday's action,he Hornets could finish anywhere from fourth to out of the MIAA Tournament while Washburn could secure a piece of the MIAA regular season title.

LAST AT BAT
Emporia State had a dramatic walk off win in game one before falling by a run in game two of a split with Northeastern State on Monday.  
Jayda VanAckeren got the win in relief and provided the game winning home run in the eighth inning of the Hornets 10-8 walk-off win in the opener. Two solo home runs by the RiverHawks cost the Hornets in the nightcap and overshadowed a great performance in the circle by the Hornets Sydney Righi.

THE COACHES
April Rosales is 174-175 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 was as an assistant coach for ESU for seven seasons and a member of the Hornets national runner-up teams in 2006 and 2008. She is 9-9 against Washburn.
Brenda Holaday is 173-112 in her sixth year as head coach at Washburn. She is 7-7 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets are 24-26, 13-11 in the MIAA. Of their losses 11 have been by one run with seven coming in their opponents last at bat. They lead the MIAA and are ranked ninth nationally in total stolen bases with Lexi Williams leading the league and ranked 15th in the nation with 33 steals while Abbey Ward's 26 steals rank second in the MIAA. Brittanie Shepherd is third in the MIAA and 19th in the nation with 16 doubles. Sydney Righi is 8-10 with a 2.74 ERA as six Hornets have started a game in the circle.

ABOUT THE ICHABODS
Washburn State is 40-11, 22-2 in the MIAA and ranked seventh in the NCAA Central Regional Poll. As a team they lead the nation having been hit by pitch a total of 57 times. Marrit Mead leads the nation with 21 doubles and is fourth in the nation with 75 hits. Jaycee Ginter has a nation's best 26 wins this season.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 96-62 but the teams have split the last 18 games.

LAST MEETING
Emporia State softball split their Turnpike Tussle doubleheader at Washburn. The Hornets used a four run seventh inning to secure a 6-3 win in the matinee. 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.

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is 174-175 in her seventh season as the Emporia State head coach and 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 a member of Emporia State softball during her playing days which included an run to the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2008.

OUT IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Brittanie Shepherd (Sr./Kansas City, MO) has started 164 of 165 games in her Hornet career. She is hitting .353 with a .421 on base percentage. She has a .491 average when leading off an inning. She has team-highs of 40 runs and 15 doubles.  She is ranked third in the MIAA and 21st in the nation in total doubles.
Outfielder Alexis Dial (So./Topeka, KS) is batting .297 with 29 runs scored, ten doubles and 17 RBI. She has also swiped 21 bases in 28 attempts. She is third in the MIAA in stolen bases.
Outfielder Lexi Williams (So./Hutchinson, KS) is leading the MIAA in stolen bases with 33 steals in 37 attempts over 43 games. She is batting .337 with 27 runs and 15 RBI.
Outfielder Emma Furnish (So./Goddard, KS) is batting .310 and has scored 21 runs in 40 games on the season. She is batting 378 in conference games and is nine of nine on stolen base attempts in conference play.

AROUND THE DIAMOND
Corner infielder Josie Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) has a .297 batting average with 17 runs scored and 16 RBI. She is hitting .353 with runners in scoring position. She is also a pitcher and has a 3.07 ERA in 41.0 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts.
Second baseman McKensy Glass (So./Wichita, KS) has scored 11 runs and has 15 RBI in 45 games with 36 starts this season. She is batting .245 on the season with a .340 average in MIAA games. For the season she is hitting .313 with runners on base and .345 with runners in scoring position.
Shortstop Abbey Ward (Jr./Olathe, KS) has started 101 of 103 games in her Emporia State career. She is batting .294 with two home runs, 17 RBI, 32 runs and a team high three triples this year. She is 26 of 26 in stolen bases to rank second in the MIAA.
Third baseman Karly Johnson (So./Lawrence, KS) has 20 RBI and 16 runs scored in 47 games with 43 starts. She has five doubles, a triple and two home runs.
First baseman Harley Sturm (Fr./Tecumseh, OK) is batting .262 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 34 games. She has missed the last eight games with an injury. She is also 5-5 with two saves and a 4.53 ERA in 14 appearances in the circle.
Second baseman Roni Raines (Jr./Topeka, KS) has played in 33 games with 30 starts and has scored 18 runs with 19 RBI. She has missed the last nine games with an injury. She is batting .256 with a .404 on-base percentage. She has been hit by pitch 14 times to lead the MIAA.

BEHIND AND AT THE PLATE
Designated player Maddy Broxterman (Sr./Meriden, KS) is batting .353 with a team high 34 RBI while scoring 17 runs scored in 39 games this season. She is batting .382 with an 1.074 OPS in 23 MIAA games.
Catcher Bailey Flewelling (So./Holton, KS) is batting .270 with ten runs and 12 RBI in 35 starts this season. She has thrown out two base runners this year.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Sydney Righi (Jr./Blue Springs, MO) has started 18 games with 22 appearances and is the team leader with 102.1 innings pitched. She has a 2.74 ERA with 55 strikeouts and is 8-10 on the year. She is seventh in the MIAA in ERA.
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (Fr./Rossville, KS) is 4-6 with a 3.07 ERA in 82.0 innings this season. She has 13 starts with four complete games, a shutout and a combined shutout in 20 appearances.
Pitcher Jayda VanAckeren (Fr./Omaha, NE) has pitched in 43.2 innings this season, making eight starts in 17 appearances. She has a 6.25 ERA and has recorded 28 strikeouts. She also hit a game winning walk-off home run against Northeastern State.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) is 1-1 with a save and a 3.07 ERA in 41.0 innings pitched. She has 35 strikeouts in 14 appearances with six starts.  
Pitcher Brylie Bassett (Sr./Oskaloosa, Kan.) is 2-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 14 appearances with two starts. She has 12 strikeouts and eighth walks in 31.1 innings.

ON DECK
The MIAA Tournament begins on Thursday, May 5 at Gary Pinkston Stadium on the campus of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla.