Alumni Weekend up next for Emporia State Softball

Softball | 3/23/2023 9:12:00 PM

Emporia State Hornets (16-10, 0-2 MIAA)
vs. Central Missouri Jennies (16-9, 2-2 MIAA)
Fri., March 24 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, KS • Turnbull Field/Trusler
Series Record: ESU leads 64-47 • Last Meeting: ESU 5, at UCM 2 (3/25/2022)
Radio: None Video Stream: The MIAA Network
vs. Lincoln Blue Tigers (4-14, 1-3 MIAA)
Sat., March 25 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, KS • Turnbull Field/Trusler
Series Record: ESU leads 34-3 • Last Meeting: ESU 7, at LU 2 (3/26/2022)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM Video Stream: The MIAA Network
Live Stats • Ticket Info • Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Northwest Missouri
Friday, March 31 • 2:00 p.m. (DH) • Maryville, Mo. • Bearcat Softball Field

WELCOME BACK
Emporia State takes on Central Missouri and Lincoln on Spring Alumni Weekend. The Hornets will celebrate 50 years of Emporia State softball including a special recognition of new ESU Athletics Hall of Honor member Angela Mahan.

LAST AT BAT
Emporia State combined timely hitting with solid pitching in a double header sweep of Drury on Wednesday at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets used a four run third inning, highlighted by an Alexis Dial home run, to post a 9-1 run rule win in the opening game of the day. Emporia State again overcame a first inning deficit and then held on for a 5-4 win in the second game.

THE COACHES
April Rosales is 191-189 in her eighth season at Emporia State. She has taken the Hornets to two MIAA Championship game, the 2018 NCAA Central Sub-Regional championship game and won the 2018 MIAA Tournament Championship. She is 7-6 against Central Missouri and 9-3 against Lincoln.
Susan Anderson is 486-364 in her 17th season as head coach for the Jennies.  She is 10-29 against Emporia State.
Jason Ollison is 4-14 in his first season at Lincoln. This is his first meeting with Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 16-10 overall and 0-2 in the MIAA. The Hornets lead the MIAA and are ranked eighth in the nation in stolen bases. Lexi Williams, Abbey Ward, Ari Cordova, and Alexis Dial all rank in the top ten of the MIAA in steals. Emma Furnish is batting .351 and Roni Raines has a team best 20 RBI. Gracie Rabe is 6-3 with a 1.86 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. Six Hornets have pitched at least 7.0 innings.

ABOUT THE JENNIES
Central Missouri is 16-9, 2-2 in the MIAA and are playing their first true road games of the season. Makenzie McAtee leads the MIAA with a .585 on base percentage.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 64-47.
LAST MEETING
ESU swept a road double header from UCM, winning 5-2 in each game.

ABOUT THE BLUE TIGERS
Lincoln is 4-14, 1-3 in the MIAA and have lost five of their last six. Leslie Callahan is batting .375 with six RBI and 10 runs.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 34-3.
LAST MEETING
The Hornets won 7-2 and 8-3 in Jefferson City, Mo. last season.

ON DECK
The Hornets take on Northwest Missouri in a double header at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 31 in Maryville, Mo.

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is in her eighth season leading the Emporia State softball program. She is 191-189 with an MIAA Tournament Championship, two MIAA Tournament title game appearances, and an appearance in the NCAA Central Sub-Regional Championship Game.
Rosales was also a member of Emporia State softball during her playing days which included an run to the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2008 which resulted in a National Runner-Up finish. During the 2008 season, she hit .324 with 30 RBI while playing nearly every game at shortstop for the Hornets. She was named First Team All-MIAA that season.

AROUND THE DIAMOND
First Basemen Haley Garnett (Jr./Olathe, KS) is in her first season with Emporia State and has played in 22 games with 20 starts for the Hornets. Garnett is hitting .245 this season with two home runs, one double, 12 RBI and 10 runs scored.
Second Baseman McKensy Glass (Jr./Wichita, KS) is in her junior season for Emporia State and is hitting .259 across her 24 starts with a .380 on-base percentage. Glass has nine RBI while scoring ten runs and stealing four bases.
Shortstop Abbey Ward (Sr./Olathe, KS) has played in 135 games in her career including starts in all 26 games for the Hornets this season. Ward is batting .247 with a .396 on-base percentage. She has seven doubles and has driven in four runs while scoring 19 of her own. She is fifth in career stolen bases for the Hornets with 90 in her career, including 16 on 17 attempts this season to rank second in the MIAA.  
Third Basemen Roni Raines (Sr./Topeka, KS) is in her senior season with the Hornets and has started all 26 games this season and is leading Emporia State with 20 RBI on the season. She is hitting .263 with a .321 on base percentage. In the Washburn Classic, Raines put together back-to-back games with four RBI, including a grand slam in the Hornets' 8-4 comeback win against Wayne State.
Designated player Ari Cordova (Sr./Fort Collins, CO) is in her first season with the Hornets after transferring from Butler CC. She is batting .348 across her 17 games played with three doubles, a triple, a home run, 14 RBI and 13 runs scored. Cordova is also 13 of 13 on stolen base attempts.

OUT IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Lexi Williams (Jr./Hutchinson, KS) has started all 26 games for the Hornets this season with a .277 batting average, eight RBI and 18 runs scored. She is leading the MIAA with 17 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
Outfielder Alexis Dial (Jr./Topeka, KS) has started all 26 games for the Hornets and is batting .278 with thee home runs, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored.
Outfielder Emma Furnish (Jr./Goddard, KS) is batting .351 with an .896 OPS through 26 games. She has one double, two triples, one home run, 13 RBI and 17 runs scored for the Hornets.

BEHIND THE PLATE
Catcher Bailey Flewelling (Jr./Holton, KS) has 19 starts at catcher this year.  She is batting .179 in 28 at bats.
Utility Sophia Rockhold (So./Oskaloosa, KS) has played in 17 games and made 14 starts for the Hornets. She holds a .244 batting average with two doubles, seven RBI and four runs scored.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (So./Rossville, KS) is in her second season with the Hornets and has a 1.86 ERA across 56.1 innings while making seven starts in 11 appearances. Rabe is 6-3 and has recorded 28 strikeouts while allowing 12 walks.
Pitcher Sydney Righi (Gr./Blue Springs, MO) has started six games in the circle and made 11 appearances for the Hornets this season. She has a 2-1 record with two saves across 33.0 innings pitched with a 3.18 ERA. She has recorded 18 strikeouts and allowed eight walks.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Sr./St. Mary's, KS) is in her senior season with the Hornets and has pitched in eight games while making six starts. Harrison holds a 2-3 record and a 4.59 ERA through 29.0 innings pitched. She has 22 strikeouts on the season.
Pitcher Jayda VanAckeren (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) has pitched 31.1 innings this season for Emporia State across ten appearances, while making five starts.