Emporia State Softball sweeps Neb.-Kearney to start Senior Weekend

April 7, 2023-Already the MIAA leader in stolen bases, Emporia State stole 13 bases on the way to a double header sweep of Neb.-Kearney on Friday afternoon at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets won game one 7-2 and took the second game 2-1.
 
Game One
The Hornets took advantage of ten walks in a 7-2 win in the matinee.
The Hornets Gracie Rabe and the Lopers Madison Rosenthal were locked in a pitcher's duel early.  The pair combined to give up just three hits and four walks through the first four innings.  
Neb.-Kearney broke the scoring drought in the top of the fifth. Leah Jurgens led off with a double and went to third on a single by Abbie Jo Gaube.  Carly Dembowski hit a sac fly to plate Jurgens and pinch runner Kelsey Cordes was able to go to come around and score on a throwing error to make it 2-0.
Emporia State would tie the score and eventually take the lead without a hit in the bottom of the fifth. Alexis Dial, Roni Raines, and Abbey Ward all walked to load the bases and force a Loper pitching change.  Reliever Stacy Bott proceeded to walk Haley Garnett and Ari Cordova to drive in two runs and tie the game at 2-2.  Emma Furnish was then hit by a pitch to give the Hornets a 3-2 lead. Lexi Williams, the seventh batter to come up then hit a sac fly and give the Emporia State a 4-2 lead without an official at bat in the inning.  With two outs Josie Harrison pinch hit for Rabe and delivered a two RBI single to left field to make it 6-2.  Batting for the second time in the inning, Dial tripled to right center to drive in Harrison and give the Hornets a 7-2 lead.
Harrison stayed in the game to pitch and retired the Lopers in order in the top of the sixth, ending the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. She finished the game with a 1-2-3 seventh getting another strike out to end the game.
Seven Hornets scored a run and six had RBI in the game. Gracie Rabe pitched 5.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
 
Game Two
Josie Harrison came in the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the first and would not allow a run of her own over the next seven innings as Emporia State came from behind to defeat Neb.-Kearney 2-1 in the night cap.
Sydney Righi got the start but gave up two walks and an error to load the bases in the top of the first. Harrison relieved her and got two outs before a bases loaded walk allowed an unearned run to score. She then got a strikeout to end the inning.
The Hornets tied the game in the bottom of the third.  Roni Raines led off with an eight pitch at bat that ended with her getting hit.  A walk to Ari Cordova and an infield single by Sophia Rockhold loaded the bases.  Emma Furnish tied the game with an RBI ground out to make it 1-1.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth Alexis Dial walked and stole second.  She then stole third and was able to come home on a throwing error to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.
That would be enough for Harrison. She tossed a shut down top of the fifth and then worked her way out of a two out jam in the sixth. The seventh saw the Lopers get a runner on base thanks to sun fueled error in left field with two outs but Harrison coaxed a fly ball to left to end the game.
Harrison was not charged with a run in 7.0 innings of relief, scattering four hits and three walks while striking out eight.
 
The Hornets are back in action on Saturday afternoon for a Senior Day double header against Fort Hays State.  First pitch of game one is set for 1:00 p.m. with Senior Day activities beginning at 12:35 p.m. at the Trusler Sports Complex.
 
NOTES:
The Hornets have now stolen 119 bases in 38 games.  It is the sixth most steals in school history and the top five marks all came in at least 55 games. The school record is 126 set in 2011 in 58 games.