Easter Weekend Action for Emporia State Softball

Softball | 3/28/2024 10:13:00 AM

Emporia State Hornets (22-13, 6-6 MIAA)
vs. Missouri Western Griffons (19-9, 5-3 MIAA)
Friday, March 29 • 3:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, Kan. • Turnbull Field/Trusler
Series Record: ESU leads 62-40 • Last Meeting: MWSU 9, ESU 1 (5/4/23-MIAA)
vs. Northwest Missouri Bearcats (16-16, 5-3 MIAA)
Saturday, March 30 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, Kan. • Turnbull Field/Trusler
Series Record: ESU leads 57-23 • Last Meeting: at NWMSU 11, ESU 1 (3/31/23)
Live Stats: esuhornets.com • Video: The MIAA Network
Radio: KFFX (104.9FM) Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Ticket Info • Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: vs. Missouri Western • March 29 • Emporia, Kan.

MAKE IT A GOOD FRIDAY
Emporia State returns to the Trusler Sports Complex for a pair of MIAA double headers against Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri.

LAST AT BAT
Emporia State came from behind late twice in a double header sweep of Central Missouri. The Hornets won 9-8 in the matinee and 9-6 in the nightcap. Emporia State trailed by three runs twice and were behind by two heading into the seventh inning of their 9-8 win in the first game of the day. Emporia State used a seven run sixth inning to overcome a six run deficit on the way to a 9-6 win over Central Missouri in the second game.
 
THE COACHES
April Rosales is 230-215 in her ninth season at Emporia State. She has taken the Hornets to two MIAA Tournament Championship Games with a win in the 2018 MIAA Tournament. Coach Rosales will not be coaching while on maternity leave. 
Assistant Coach Megan Hill will coach in her absence and is 21-8 as acting head coach this season.
Joe Yegge is 86-51 in his third season at Missouri Western. He is 5-0 against Emporia State.
Naomi Tellez is 59-76 in her third year at Northwest Missouri. She is 1-3 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 22-13, 6-6 in the MIAA. They are ranked 16th in the nation in stolen bases. Three players are batting .400 or better with Alexis Dial at .434, Bailey Flewelling at .408 and Lexi Williams at .400 on the season. Dial is leads the MIAA and is 12th in the nation with 13 doubles while ranking second in the association and 13th nationally with 42 RBI. 

ABOUT THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western  is 19-9, 5-3 in the MIAA. They are second in the MIAA with 31 home runs on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 62-40.
LAST TIME VS. MISSOURI WESTERN
The Hornets fell 9-1 to the Griffons in the second round of the 2023 MIAA Tournament.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 16-16, 5-3 in the MIAA. Lillie Filger is third in the MIAA with a .457 batting average.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 57-23. Emporia State has won 12 straight against the Bearcats in Emporia dating back to April 6, 2008.
LAST TIME VS. NORTHWEST MISSOURI
The Hornets split a double header in Maryville winning 5-2 in the first game before falling 11-1 in the second..

ON DECK
Emporia State makes the trip west to play at Fort Hays State on April 5 and Neb.-Kearney on April 6.

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is in her ninth season leading the Emporia State softball program and has a 230-215 record. Since taking over the program in 2016, Rosales has led the Hornets to an MIAA Tournament Championship, two MIAA Tournament title game appearances, and an appearance in the NCAA Central Sub-Regional Championship.
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. She is currently on maternity leave after the birth of her son.
Assistant Coach Megan Hill is serving as the acting head coach while Coach Rosales is away on maternity leave. She has gone 21-8 this season. She was a four-time All-MIAA performer, earning first-team honors from 2005-07 at third base. She holds teh Emporia State single season and career RBI records with 73 in 2006 and 216 in her career from 2004-07.

BEHIND THE PLATE
Catcher Bailey Flewelling (Sr./Holton, KS) is in her fourth season at Emporia State and has played in 121 career games. This season Flewelling is batting .408 with a 1.121 OPS and has five home runs, 24 RBI, ten doubles and 16 runs scored. She is fifth in the MIAA in doubles and eighth in home runs. 
Ally Miller (Fr./Olathe, KS) has appeared in nine games with eight behind the dish. She is batting batting .143 with a walk and two runs scored.

IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Alexis Dial (Sr./Topeka, KS) is in her fourth season at Emporia State and has played  in 178 career games. This season, Dial is batting .434 with 13 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 42 RBI, 25 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. She is leading the MIAA in doubles, ranks second in RBI, fifth in slugging percentage, sixth in batting average and OPS, and eighth in home runs. Nationally she is 13th in doubles and RBI.
Outfielder Lexi Williams (Sr./Hutchinson, KS) is in her third season at Emporia State and is batting .400 in 34 games with five doubles, three triples, 14 RBI and 34 runs scored. She is sixthin runs scored and hits, ranks ninth in triples and tenth in stolen bases. In her career, Williams has 79 stolen bases across 137 games played. 
Outfielder Emma Furnish (Sr./Goddard, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and is batting .316 with 19 RBI, 23 runs, six doubles, a triple and two home runs. She is a career .295 hitter for Emporia State with 16 outfield assists in 179 career games.
Outfielder Juliana De Luna (Fr./San Antonio, TX) is in her first season at Emporia State and has played in 24 games with seven starts. She has five RBI, nine runs scored, two walks and four stolen bases.

AROUND THE HORN
Shortstop Abbey Ward (Gr./Olathe, KS) is in her fifth season with the Hornets and is batting .299 this season with nine doubles, a triple, three home runs, 34 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. She leads the MIAA and is ranked tenth in the nation in hit by pitch while ranking fifth in the association in runs, doubles and stolen bases. Ward is second in Emporia State history with 122 career stolen bases and needs two to tie Morgan Viola's (124 from 2004-07) ESU career record. Her 122 career steals is third among active players in Division II while her 42 times being hit by a pitch ranks fifth among active players.
Infielder/designated player Haley Garnett (Sr./Olathe, KS) is in her second season with the Hornets and is batting .266 with four home runs, 18 RBI, 22 runs scored, 25 walks and three stolen bases. She is leading the MIAA and ranked 14th nationally in walks per game.
Second baseman McKensy Glass (Sr./Wichita, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and has played in 145 career games. Glass has a .271 average with 13 RBI, eight runs scored and a .354 on base percentage this season. 
Infielder Brooke Flewelling (Fr./Holton, KS) is in her first season with the Hornets and has played in 21 games with 18 starts for the Hornets. She has three doubles, a triple, two home runs, seven runs scored and six RBI in her freshman campaign.
Infielder Karli Wehunt (Fr./Shidler, OK) is in her first season with the Hornets and has  played in 16 games with ten starts. She has five RBI, six runs scored, eight walks and a .350 on base percentage. 
Infielder/designated player Avery Brewer (Fr./Jenks, OK) is in her first season at Emporia State is batting .316 with three doubles, 12 RBI and six runs scored in her 22 games played.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (Jr./Rossville, KS) is in her third season with the Hornets and has a team-best 3.05 ERA in 73.1 innings over 17 appearances with nine starts. She is 6-5 on the season and has struck out 39 batters and allowed just 14 walks this season. 
Pitcher Jayda VanAckeren (Jr./Omaha, NE) is in her third season with the Hornets and has made 14 appearances with 11 starts this season. She is 6-2 with a 4.57 ERA across 53.2 innings pitched. She earned MIAA Pitcher of the Week honors following her outing against Wayne State, a complete game shutout where she allowed just three hits. 
Pitcher Kelly Hipsher (Sr./Olathe, Kan.) is in her second season with the Hornets and has 16 appearances with a 3.41 ERA across 26.2 innings with 18 strikeouts in one start. She is second in the MIAA and ranked 23rd in the nation in saves.
Pitcher Jordan Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) is in her first season with the Hornets after transferring from Johnson County CC. She is 4-3 with a 5.65 ERA in 14 appearances with eight starts. She has tossed 48.1 innings and has a team best 43 strikeouts with just 14 walks allowed.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Gr./St. Mary's, KS) is in her fifth season for the Hornets and has has made eight appearances with six starts this season. She is 4-3 with a 4.03 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched. Harrison also has a .326 batting average with 18 RBI and 17 runs scored at the plate this season.

ON A ROLL
Earlier this season Emporia State had a 15-game winning streak, matching their longest winning streak since the 2012 season where Emporia State won 42 games, including the MIAA Tournament Championship.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Hornets are 8-3 at home this season with two of the three losses to nationally ranked teams. After winning their final twelve home games of the 2023 season, Emporia State won all five games at the ESU Classic to extend their home winning streak to 17 games. 

OFF AND RUNNING
Through the first 31 games of the season, Emporia State is among the top teams in Division II in stolen bases. After leading the MIAA in steals in seven of the last eight years as well as ranking top ten in the nation in both total steals and steals per game last season, the Hornets are currently 17th in total steals and 35th in steals per game in the nation. 
Abbey Ward has been an important part to the success of the Hornets on the bases in her career. Ward led the MIAA last season in stolen bases and ranked second in each of her first two full seasons. She is currently second in program history with 122 career stolen bases. The program record is held by Morgan Viola (2004-07) with 124 stolen bases.