March 9, 2024 – Emporia State softball split their MIAA opening doubleheader against Newman on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets took game one 15-4 and fell 7-4 in game two.
Game 1 (ESU 15, NU 4)
Emporia State got started on the front foot in game one, scoring five first-inning runs to jump ahead of the Jets.
Abbey Ward got the inning started with a hit by pitch and then stole second, her 117
th career stolen base. After a one-out walk from
Alexis Dial,
Bailey Flewelling double score Ward and put two runners in scoring position. Back-to-back RBI singles from
Haley Garnett and
Josie Harrison improved the lead to 3-0 over the Jets. Harrison stole second before a two RBI single from
Avery Brewer capped the inning as Emporia State led 5-0.
Following a scoreless bottom of the first from
Jayda VanAckeren in the circle, Emporia State added three more runs in the second. A two-run single from
Haley Garnett and a fielding error from the Jets extended the Hornet lead to 8-0. The Hornets added two more runs in the third as their lead swelled to 10-0. Newman cut into the Emporia State advantage with a run in the third and three more in the fourth as the Hornets led 10-4 heading to the fifth inning.
The Hornets scored five runs in the fifth, which included a solo home run from
Bailey Flewelling, an RBI double from
Karli Wehunt and three Newman errors to boost the Emporia State lead to 15-4.
Jayda VanAckeren held the Jets scoreless in the bottom half as the Hornets clinched the 15-4 win over Newman in game one and VanAckeren grabbed her sixth win of the season in the circle.
Bailey Flewelling went 4-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored.
Avery Brewer,
Josie Harrison and
Haley Garnett each recorded two hits.
Game 2 (NU 7, ESU 4)
After a scoreless first inning for the Hornets, Newman took a 2-0 lead with a two-out, two RBI single in the bottom of the first. Both teams were scoreless in the second inning before Newman extended their lead in the third to 5-0.
The first run for Emporia State in game two came in the top of the fifth, an RBI double from
Lexi Williams to cut the deficit to 5-1. Newman grabbed two more runs in the bottom half, as their lead grew to 7-1 heading into the final two innings. RBI singles from
Haley Garnett and
Emma Furnish in the sixth pulled the Hornets within four runs but Emporia State stranded a pair of runners as they still trailed 7-3 heading to the bottom of the sixth.
After a scoreless bottom of the sixth from the Jets,
Lexi Williams led off the seventh with a triple and then came in to score on an error from Newman. The Hornets were unable to comeback any further as they fell 7-4 against the Jets in game two.
Lexi Williams had two hits while
Alexis Dial,
Bailey Flewelling and
Haley Garnett each had one hit.
Emporia State will return to action on Sunday, March 10 as the take on #12 Central Oklahoma. Game time is scheduled 1:00 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.
