April 14, 2023-Emporia State saw their eight game winning streak come to a halt before earning a double header split at Pittsburg State on Friday afternoon. The Hornets fell 16-3 in game one before rebounding with a 13-8 victory in game two.
Game One
Pittsburg State batted around in the second and third innings on their way to a 16-3 win in the matinee.
The Hornets had two singles but both runners were forced out as they came up empty in the top of the first. The Gorillas manufactured a run in the bottom of the frame on a single, a bunt, a ground out and a sac fly to take a 1-0 lead. They then sent 11 players to the plate in the bottom of the second on the way to seven runs. Starter
Gracie Rabe was relieved by
Jayda VanAckeren after giving up a double and single to start the inning. The big blow in the inning was a three run double by Paxtyn Hayes.
Emporia State got on the board in the top of the third thanks to a two RBI double by
Ari Cordova. In the bottom of the inning the first two batters singled before Taylor Lambert hit a three run homer to make it 11-2.
Josie Harrison came on in relief of VanAckeren and gave up five more runs before
Kelly Hipsher came on to get the final two outs of the inning with the Hornets trailing 16-2.
Rabe re-entered to pitch the bottom of the fourth and got out of a bases loaded jam thanks to two strikeouts and a fly out to second.
Abbey Ward scratched across the final run for Emporia State in the top of the fifth. She led off with a single and went to second on a stolen base. She took third on a flyout to center and then scored on a wild pitch for the final score.
Ari Cordova was two for three with two RBI.
Gracie Rabe took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.0 innings.
Game Two
Emporia State had the big inning in the night cap, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring nine runs in the third inning of a 13-8 win.
The Hornets scored in the top of the first on an RBI single from
Ari Cordova that drove in
Roni Raines. The Gorillas responded with two in the bottom of the inning on a two run homer by Kylee Bohle.
Emporia State would retake the lead with three runs in the top of the second. Back to back singles by
McKensy Glass and
Lexi Williams along with a stolen base by Williams put runners at second and third with no outs.
Emma Furnish tied the game with a sac fly and Raines gave the Hornets the lead with a RBI single that led to a Pitt State pitching change.
Abbey Ward executed a squeeze that allowed Williams to score and give ESU a 3-2 lead. Cordova followed with an RBI double and the Hornets led 4-2 going to the bottom of the second.
Sydney Righi followed that with a 1-2-3 inning in the circle.
Sophia Rockhold led off the top of the third with a homer that led to the second pitching change for the Gorillas. The next three batters all reached with Williams delivering an RBI single to make it 6-2. With one out Raines singled to center to score Glass. With two outs
Haley Garnett reached on a fielding error at second base that allowed two runs to score as the Hornets went up 9-2. Batting for the second time in the inning Rockhold walked to load the bases as the Gorillas made another pitching change.
Alexis Dial greeted the new pitcher with a bases clearing double to right field to give the Hornets a 12-2 lead. After a wild pitch sent Dial to third, Glass hit a double to score her and give Emporia Stat a 13-2 lead going to the bottom of the third.
A walk, double and two RBI single from Paxtyn Hayes got the Gorillas within 13-4 after three complete innings. Pitt State would add three runs in the bottom of the fourth on a two run homer by Kadyn Trochim and a solo shot from Gracie Sullivan that led to
Kelly Hipsher coming on in relief of Righi. She got two strikeouts around a bunt single to get out the inning and the Hornets led 13-4 after four. Pittsburg State would get one more run in the bottom of the fifth following a ground rule double by Keelah Griffith and a single from Gabby Schultz. After that Hipsher allowed just a bunt single the rest of the way as she retired seven of the last eight batters she faced.
Every position player for the Hornets was credited with an RBI and seven of nine scored a run.
Alexis Dial was two for five with three RBI and two runs scored.
Roni Raines went three for four with three runs and an RBI.
Ari Cordova and
McKensy Glass each had three hits with Cordova driving in two runs and Glass scoring two.
Kelly Hipsher picked up the win going 3.2 innings in relief and allowing just one run on four hits.
The Hornets will stay on the road as they travel to league leading Missouri Southern on Saturday. Due to the threat of inclement weather in the Joplin area, first pitch for game one has moved up to 1:00 p.m.
