February 23, 2024-Emporia State ran their winning streak to ten games with a pair of wins at the Washburn Invitational. The Hornets beat Minot State 12-7 in their first game and finished the day with a 3-2 win over Minnesota State.
ESU 12, Minot State 7
The Hornets had five extra base hits on the way to a 12-7 win over Minot State in their opening game of the tournament.
Abbey Ward set the tone early with a leadoff triple and then beat the throw home on a bunt by
Lexi Williams. After an
Alexis Dial single put runners on the corners Williams came home on a double steal to make it 2-0.
Josie Harrison delivered a two run single to make it 4-0 after one.
Abbey Ward gave the Hornets a 6-0 lead with a two run homer in the second and
Brooke Flewelling put the Hornets up 8-0 in the third with a two run home run of her own. Ward delivered an RBI single to make it 9-0 after three complete and in the fourth Dial drove in Williams thanks to an error to make it 10-0 going to the bottom of the fourth.
The Beavers got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and the Hornets answered with two of their own in the top of the fifth.
Abbey Ward hit a sac fly that scored
Jayda VanAckeren as Mckensy Glass scored from second thanks to a throwing error. Minot got a three run home run from Taryn Bennett to keep the game going at 12-5. Emporia State was held scoreless for the first time in the top of the sixth and Minot State added two more in the bottom of the sixth to get withing 12-7.
Jordan Harrison worked the final 2.0 innings including a perfect seventh to end the game.
Abbey Ward was three for four with a triple, a homer, four RBI, and two runs scored.
Jayda VanAckeren worked the first 4.0 innings to pick up the win.
ESU 3, Minnesota State 2
Gracie Rabe scattered eight hits over 6.0 innings and
Josie Harrison worked a scoreless seventh to give Emporia State a 3-2 win over Minnesota State in their nightcap.
The Mavericks were on the board first thanks to back to back doubles with two outs.
Haley Garnett evened things up when she led off the bottom of the second with a home run to centerfield. It would remain deadlocked at 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out
Emma Furnish reached on an infield single and went to second when
Abbey Ward was hit by a pitch.
Lexi Williams loaded the bases when she beat out a bunt. With two outs
Avery Brewer delivered a single to center field that drove in Ward and Furnish to give the Hornets a 3-1 lead.
Rabe came out in the top of the sixth and struck out the first two batters before getting a ground out to end the inning. The seventh inning started with the Maverick's Marina Carter reaching on an error and Kylie Sullivan singling to right. Harrison relieved Rabe in the circle and got a fly out before waling Gianna Lara to load the bases. Courtney Kessler hit a sac fly to right to bring Minnesota State within 3-2 before Harrison got a ground out to second to end the game.
Avery Brewer was one for three with two RBI while
Haley Garnett went one for two with a solo home run.
Gracie Rabe scattered eight hits over 6.0 innings with six strikeouts while allowing two run, with just one earned.
Josie Harrison worked the final inning, allowing just one walk to pick up her first save of the year.
Emporia State will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Augustana at 10:00 a.m. at Lake Shawnee.
NOTES:
The Hornets ten game winning streak is the longest by Emporia State since a 12 game streak from April 12 – 27, 2018.
