Softball | 2/25/2023 9:39:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 February 25, 2023 – Emporia State softball took home two wins on Saturday afternoon in Topeka as they defeated Sioux Falls 13-4 before completing the Saturday sweep with a 7-4 win over Southwest Minnesota.
Game One
Emporia State struck first against Sioux Falls as
Abbey Ward drew a one-out walk in the top of the first inning. Later in the first, with the bases loaded, an RBI groundout from
Alexis Dial scored Ward to put the Hornets ahead 1-0.
Following a scoreless first inning for
Jayda VanAckeren in the circle, Emporia State added two more runs in the second inning.
Roni Raines doubled the Hornet advantage with a sacrifice fly to left field to score VanAckeren before
Sophia Rockhold doubled with two outs make the score 3-0.
The Cougars were held scoreless in the second inning before the Hornets expanded their lead even further. VanAckeren helped her cause with a three-run home run to put Emporia State ahead 6-0. Emporia State added another run in the frame with an RBI single from
Emma Furnish to score
Lexi Williams.
Sioux Falls was able to get on the board in the bottom of the third inning with two runs, but Emporia State continued their offensive onslaught with six more runs in the fourth inning.
The six-run fourth inning was highlighted by a two-run home run from
Haley Garnett and an RBI walk from
Roni Raines.
The Cougars would add two runs in the fifth inning but the Hornets were able to close out the game with a 13-4 run-rule victory in five innings.
Jadya VanAckeren and
Haley Garnett each went 3-4 in game one with three and two RBI respectively.
Sophia Rockhold went 2-4 with three RBI of her own.
VanAckeren also picked up her second win of the season as she tallied 5.0 innings pitched with four runs and two earned while striking out three batters.
Game Two
Southwest Minnesota started the game with a run in the top of the first inning before Emporia State responded in the bottom half to take an early 2-1 lead over the Mustangs.
In the bottom half,
Emma Furnish and
Abbey Ward both reached base to start the inning and came around to score.
Both teams were held in check through the second and third innings before the Hornet offense struck again in the fourth inning.
Emporia State would expand their lead in the top of the fourth with three more runs, highlighted by a
Roni Raines home run as the Hornets took a 5-1 lead through four innings over the Mustangs.
Southwest Minnesota returned the Hornet lead to just one run in the top of the fifth as they scored three runs to trim the score to 5-4.
Emporia State added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as
Lexi Williams and
Emma Furnish scored, with Furnish scoring her third run of the game.
The Hornets held onto their 7-4 advantage in the final frame as they defeated Southwest Minnesota to clinch the Saturday sweep at the Washburn Classic.
In game two,
Roni Raines recorded a home run with two RBI and
Emma Furnish scored three runs for Emporia State.
Emporia State returns to action on Sunday afternoon against Wayne State and Missouri-St. Louis. The Hornets are scheduled to take on Wayne State at 1:30 p.m. from Topeka, Kan.
