Split for Emporia State softball on final day in Hawai'i

March 16, 2023-Emporia State earned a split on their final day in Hawai'i. The Hornets defeated Hawai'I Pacific 3-2 in eight innings in the matinee before falling 9-8 to the Sharks in the nightcap.
 
Game One
Emporia State was no hit for the first seven innings but were able to pull out a 3-2 win over Hawai'I Pacific in eight innings in the first game of the day.
The Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the first when Emma Furnish manufactured a run. She led off with a walk and went to second on a sac bunt.  She then stole third and came home to score when the throw from the catcher was offline.
The lead would hold up until the sixth. Hawai'i Pacific's Tiari Hernandez led off with a single to center and went to second on a sac bunt.  Noel Saunders followed with a single to center that sent Hernandez to third. With runners on the corners Saunders took off for second and ESU threw to second and it was cut off by McKensy Glass. Saunders stopped short of second and after looking Hernandez back to third Glass threw to second to get the out but it was off line and allowed Hernandez to score. Gracie Rabe was able to get a ground out and fly out to end the inning and keep the score 1-1.
Both teams left a runner on base in the seventh as the game went to extra innings. Glass was placed on second in the international tiebreaker to start the inning. She went to third on a sac bunt before Lexi Williams delivered a single through the right side to give ESU A 2-1 lead with their first hit of the game. After Williams stole second Furnish singled and Williams scored on an error by the right fielder.
The Sharks took advantage of the tiebreaker in the bottom of the eighth as Jenasis Guerrero was placed on second, went to third on a sac and scored on a wild pitch.  After giving up a single to put the tying run on base, Rabe was relieved by Sydney Righi.  Righi got a pair of ground outs to end the game and pick up her first save.
Emma Furnish and Lexi Williams both went one for three with a run scored and an RBI.  Gracie Rabe went 7.1 innings allowing two unearned runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
 
Game Two
Emporia State had an eight run lead in the fourth inning before falling 9-8 to Hawai'I Pacific in the second game.
The Hornets jumped out to an 8-0 lead midway through the fourth inning.  The scored six runs in the second thanks to trio of two RBI hits. Roni Raines led off with a single and went to second when Alexis Dial was hit by a pitch. With two outs Lexi Williams reached on an error by the third baseman that loaded the bases. Emma Furnish followed with a two run single to left and went to second on the throw home. Abbey Ward walked to reload the bases before Haley Garnett singled down the left field line and went to second on the throw as two runs scored to make it 4-0.  Ari Cordova capped the scoring with a two run double down the left field line to give the Hornets a 6-0 lead going to the bottom of the second.
Emporia State added single runs in the third and fourth innings.  Josie Harrison singled in Alexis Dial to make it 7-0 in the third. In the top of the fourth Cordova singled, stole second and third and then scored when Dial reached on an error by the pitcher.
Hawai'I Pacific got back in the game with seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth. The first four batters reached on singles as they scored three runs before Jayda VanAckeren replaced Josie Harrison in the circle. Harrison hit a batter and walked one to load the bases.  Camille Lohse hit a two RBI single to right center to pull HPU within 8-5. Tiari Hernandez followed with a two run double down the left field line to make it 8-7. Gracie Rabe relieved VanAckeren and retired the next three batters to preserve the lead.
The Sharks would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two RBI single by Kanoe Tanigawa to go up 9-8. The Hornets were retired in order in the top of the seventh as the teams split the double header.
Ari Cordova was two for three with two RBI and a run scored while Haley Garnett went on for four with two RBI and a run scored. Rabe took the loss, giving up two runs on four hits in 2.1 innings.
 
The Hornets will return to the mainland and play host to Drury on Wednesday, March 22 at the Trusler Sports Complex.  First pitch of game one of the double header is set for 3:00 p.m. on Turnbull Field.
 
NOTES
The only time in four games Emporia State played in Hawaii, the only time they came to bat trailing was in the seventh inning of the final game.