February 20, 2023-The final day of the ESU Classic saw the host Hornets earn a split on Monday. Emporia State defeated Concordia-St. Paul 5-3 in their first game before falling 5-0 to Missouri-St. Louis in the night cap.
Game One
Emporia State took advantage of three Golden Bear errors in a 5-3 victory over Concordia-St. Paul.
The Golden Bears scored first when Jacey Defries singled in Sydney Pelzer in the top of the second to go up 1-0. The Hornets answered in the bottom of the inning thanks to two CSP errors.
Sophia Rockhold led off the inning with a ground ball that was misplayed by the shortstop.
Alexis Dial then worked a walk to put runners on first and second for
Abbey Ward. She delivered a double that scored two and went to third on the throw to the plate. The CSP catcher tried to throw her out going to third and the ball went into left field allowing Ward to come all the way home and give Emporia State a 3-0 lead.
Danni Sharum tied the game for Concordia-St. Paul in the top of the fourth with a two run homer. Emporia State would regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Ward reached on a fielding error at third and then went first to third on a ground out by
Bailey Flewelling.
Lexi Williams then laid down a bunt that plated Ward to give the Hornets a 4-3 lead.
Flewelling gave Emporia State an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when she singled in
Haley Garnett to make it 5-3.
Sydney Righi went the distance in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
Game Two
The Hornets were held to one hit in a 5-0 loss to Missouri-St. Louis in the final game of the classic.
The Tritons got all the run support they would need in the top of the first when McKenzie Lamos launched a three run homer over the fence in left field. They added another run when Irene Travis singled in Corinne Daley in the second to go up 4-0 before the Hornets registered a hit.
McKensy Glass finally broke the ice with a one out single in the bottom of the fourth but was stranded. The final run for UMSL came in the top of the sixth when Daley hit a solo home run.
Emporia State had two runners on in the bottom of the sixth with no outs as pinch hitter
Jayda VanAckeren reached on a error and
Lexi Williams was hit by a pitch.
Emma Furnish hit a come backer up the middle that Scaramuzzi was able to field and go to third for the force out. A fly ball and strikeout ended the inning and the last threat for the Hornets.
The Hornets will be back in action next weekend at the Washburn Invite in Topeka. Emporia State will open tournament play against St. Cloud State on Friday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. on Gahnstrom Field on the Washburn campus.
