MIAA Tourney starts for Emporia State against #25 Missouri Southern

Softball | 5/2/2023 10:33:00 PM

Emporia State Hornets (33-21, 12-12 MIAA)
vs. #25 Missouri Southern Lions (36-11, 21-5 MIAA)
MIAA Tournament
Wednesday, May 3 • 5:30 p.m. • Topeka, Kan. • Envista Softball Complex
Series Record: MSSU leads 45-44 • Last Meeting: at MSSU 10, ESU 2 (4/15/23)
Radio: None Video Stream: The MIAA Network
Live Stats • Ticket Info • Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: vs. either Rogers State or Missouri Western
Thursday, May 4 • Losers at 1:30 pm/Winners at 6:30 pm
Topeka, Kan. • Envista Softball Complex

CHAMPIONS ARE MADE IN MAY
Emporia State begins MIAA Tournament play against Missouri Southern.

LAST AT BAT
Emporia State earned a split in their final doubleheader of the season at Washburn.
Ari Cordova had three RBI as the Hornets took a 4-2 win in the matinee. She led off the second with a homer to give Emporia State a 1-0 lead. She put the Hornets up 4-2 with a two run triple in the sixth inning. Gracie Rabe scattered eight hits allowing just two runs.
Sydney Righi and Sadie Walker were engaged in a pitchers duel that went into the ninth before Washburn was able to pull out a win in the nightcap. Emma Furnish gave ESU a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the fourth. WU tied it in the bottom of the inning on a sac fly. It stayed tied until Kaylee Wagner hit a two out, two run homer in the bottom of the ninth. Righi tossed 8.2 innings allowing three runs on five hits.

THE COACHES
April Rosales is 208-200 in her eighth season at Emporia State with a 12-7 record in MIAA Tournament play. 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 10-7 against Missouri Southern with a 1-0 record in MIAA Tournament action.
Hallie Blackney  is 122-85-1 in her fifth year at Missouri Southern with a 2-4 record in MIAA Tournament play. She is 4-6 against Emporia State and her first meeting in the MIAA Tournament.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 33-21, 13-13 in the MIAA. The Hornets lead the MIAA and are ranked fifth in the nation with a school record 154 stolen bases. They have stolen 60 more bases than any other team in the league has attempted. Abbey Ward and Lexi Williams are ranked first and third in the MIAA in steals while Alexis Dial is sixth and Emma Furnish tenth. Ari Cordova is batting .378 with 32 RBI in 35 games. Gracie Rabe is 14-8 with a 2.58 ERA, 62 strikeouts and two shutouts on the year.

ABOUT THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is 36-11, 21-5 in the MIAA. They have have gone 8-4 down the stretch after seeing a 12 game winning streak snapped by the Hornets on April 15. Yazmin Vargas is second in the MIAA in stolen bases with 30 on the season.

SERIES HISTORY
The Lions lead the series 45-44. Emporia State has won six of the last ten matchups.

LAST MEETING
Emporia State split a doubleheader at MIAA leading Missouri Southern. The Hornets won the matinee 6-5 before falling 10-2 in the nightcap.

ON DECK
The Hornets will play either Rogers State or Missouri Western on Thursday, May 4. The winners will play at 6:30 p.m. with the losers meeting at 1:30 p.m. at the Envista Softball Complex.
 
IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is in her eighth season leading the Emporia State softball program and has the third most wins in school history. She is 208-200 with an MIAA Tournament Championship, two MIAA Tournament title game appearances, and an appearance in the NCAA Central Sub-Regional Championship Game. She is 12-7 in MIAA Tournament play as a head coach.
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.

RUNNING HORNETS
Emporia State leads the MIAA with a school record 154 stolen bases this season and are ranked fifth in the nation.  The Hornets have stolen 63 more bases than any other conference team has attempted.  Five Hornets have at least 15 stolen bases on the year.
The Hornets are second in the MIAA and rank 22nd in the nation in triples with 18 on the year.

EVEN BETTER
The Hornets have dominated the middle innings this year, outscoring their opponents 215-161 in the second through sixth innings.  They are especially effective in the even numbered innings with a 55-20 advantage in the second, 51-46 in the fourth and 32-22 in the sixth inning.

HOME SWEET HOME
Emporia State has won 12 straight home games on Turnbull Field at the Trusler Sports Complex and are 18-8 at home this season. The Hornets 12 game home winning streak is their longest since they won 16 straight from April 23, 2011-April 15, 2012. The 18 home wins are the most in a single season since going 18-2 at home in the 2010 season.

MIAA TOURNAMENT SUCCESS
The Hornets have won a record ten MIAA Tournament championships and have an all-time record of 73-37 in the post-season tournament.   They have won at least one game in every tournament they have participated in since 2002 - a string of 17 tournaments. They have won 12 of their last 18 MIAA Tournament games including the 2018 MIAA Championship as the #8 seed.

AT THE PLATE
Designated player Ari Cordova (Sr./Fort Collins, CO) was named second-team All-MIAA in her first season at ESU after transferring from Butler CC. She is batting .378 in 35 games played with nine doubles, three triples, two home runs, a team best 32 RBI and 21 runs scored while going 21 of 25 on stolen base attempts. She has reached base safely in 22 straight games. She missed 19 games with injury earlier this year after being named MIAA Hitter of the Week in February.

AROUND THE DIAMOND
First Basemen Haley Garnett (Jr./Olathe, KS) has played in 47 games with 41 starts for the Hornets. She is hitting .259 with four home runs, four doubles, 30 RBI and 23 runs scored. She is tied for the team high with ten multiple RBI games. She ranks ninth in the MIAA in walks with 24 on the year.
Second Baseman McKensy Glass (Jr./Wichita, KS) is hitting .267 with a .388 on-base percentage while starting 52 games. She has 15 RBI while scoring 23 runs and stealing seven bases. She has a .600 on base percentage when leading off an inning.
Shortstop Abbey Ward (Sr./Olathe, KS) has played in 163 games in her career including starts in all 54 games this season. She is fifth in career stolen bases for the Hornets with 102 in her career, including 36 on 39 attempts this season to lead the MIAA. She is eight in the MIAA with 43 runs scored. She is batting .287 with a .415 on-base percentage this season. She has nine doubles, a triple and two home runs.    
Third Basemen Roni Raines (Sr./Topeka, KS) has started all 54 games this season. She has 30 RBI on the season and is hitting .277 with a .365 on base percentage. With runners on base she is hitting .325 and has a .359 average with runners in scoring position.

OUT IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Lexi Williams (Jr./Hutchinson, KS) has started all 54 games this season with a .259 batting average, 15 RBI and 30 runs scored. She is third in the MIAA with 29 stolen bases.
Outfielder Alexis Dial (Jr./Topeka, KS) has started all 54 games while ranking fourth in triples and sixth in stolen bases in the MIAA. She is batting .264 with four doubles, four triples, four homers, 25 RBI and 32 runs. She is 22 of 23 on stolen base attempts.
Outfielder Emma Furnish (Jr./Goddard, KS) is batting .302 and has started all 54 games. She is fourth in the MIAA in triples and tenth in stolen bases. She has three doubles, four triples, one home run, 26 RBI, 28 runs and 15 stolen bases for the Hornets.

BEHIND THE PLATE
Catcher Bailey Flewelling (Jr./Holton, KS) has 35 starts at catcher this year.  She is batting .229 in 48 at bats with a home run and eight RBI. She has thrown out three base stealers this year.
Catcher Sophia Rockhold (So./Oskaloosa, KS) has played in 41 games and made 32 starts for the Hornets. She holds a .286 batting average with four doubles, two triples, a home run, 16 RBI and 12 runs scored.

ON THE BASES
Utility player Savanna Schenkel (Fr./Bentonville, Ark.) has played in 14 games with one start. She has been used primarily as a pinch runner and has gone three for three on stolen bases with four runs scored in seven pinch running opportunities.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (So./Rossville, KS) is 14-8 with a 2.58 ERA across 125.0 innings while making 19 starts in 24 appearances. She has 62 strikeouts while allowing 27 walks. She has two shutouts on the year. She tossed a two hitter against Newman. She had a no hitter up until the last batter against William Jewell, who reached on a blooper and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. She is eighth in the MIAA in wins.
Pitcher Sydney Righi (Gr./Blue Springs, MO) has started 14 games in the circle and made 23 appearances this season. She has a 4-5 record with two saves across 78.2 innings pitched with a 3.92 ERA, 38 strikeouts and 25 walks. She is seventh in the MIAA in saves.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Sr./St. Mary's, KS) has pitched in 17 games while making ten starts. She is 6-4 with a 3.59 ERA through 64.1 innings pitched. She has 52 strikeouts on the season. She tossed one hit shutouts against Chadron State and Lincoln. She is also batting .266 on the season and is two for three with three RBI and two runs scored in pinch hitting situations.
Pitcher Jayda VanAckeren (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) is 5-2 on the season. She has pitched 50.1innings this season for Emporia State across 18 appearances, while making eight starts.
Pitcher Kelly Hipsher (Jr./Olathe, Kan.) is 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA in ten appearances out of the bullpen this year.
Pitcher Hannah Norquest (Sr./York, Neb.) is 1-1 in five appearances with three starts for the Hornets this season. She is 1-1 with a 7.74 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched. She was a part of a shut out on Senior Day against Fort Hays State.