March 25, 2023 – Emporia State softball tallied 21 hits across two games as they swept the visiting Lincoln Blue Tigers on Saturday with an 8-0 win in game one and a 9-1 win the game two of the doubleheader.
Game One
Josie Harrison took the ball in game one for the Hornets and held the Blue Tigers without a hit in the first two innings before Emporia State took the lead over Lincoln.
In the bottom of the second inning, three walks loaded the bases with two outs for
Alexis Dial who tripled down the right field line to clear the bases for three RBI as the Hornets took a 3-0 lead over the Blue Tigers.
Lincoln tallied their lone hit against
Josie Harrison in the third inning but were held scoreless. In the bottom half, Emporia State added two more runs to their total with a two RBI double from
Haley Garnett with two outs.
The Hornets added another run in the sixth on an RBI groundout by
Lexi Williams and two runs in the fifth inning with an RBI single from
Roni Raines and an RBI double from
Josie Harrison to clinch the 8-0 win in game one of the doubleheader.
Eight different Hornets recorded a hit with
Alexis Dial driving in three runs while
Haley Garnett added two RBI on her own.
Josie Harrison pitched 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and only one runner to reach scoring position.
Game Two
Emporia State held Lincoln scoreless in the first frame before taking the lead in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs,
Abbey Ward tripled into left field before scoring on an RBI single from
Sophia Rockhold.
In the second inning, Lincoln recorded three singles but were held without a run by Hornet starting pitcher
Jayda VanAckeren.
The Hornets opened up the game in the bottom of the second inning as they exploded offensively for eight runs on eight hits to take a 9-0 lead over the Blue Tigers.
The bottom of the second was highlighted by six extra-base hits and five different Hornets recording an RBI in the inning.
In the fourth inning, Lincoln scored their first run of the afternoon in the fourth inning but were held scoreless in the fifth by
Jayda VanAckeren as the Hornets run-ruled the Blue Tigers 9-1 to clinch the Saturday sweep over Lincoln.
Eight different Hornets recorded a hit in game two with
Josie Harrison leading the way as she went 3-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Alexis Dial,
Roni Raines and
Abbey Ward each recorded two hits of their own.
Jayda VanAckeren pitched 5.0 innings and allowed just one run on five hits as she picked up her fifth win of the season.
Emporia State returns to action on Friday, March 31 as they travel to Maryville, Mo. to take on Northwest Missouri in an MIAA doubleheader.
