Gauntlet Begins For Emporia State Softball

Softball | 4/11/2024 11:13:00 AM

Emporia State Hornets (26-17, 10-10 MIAA)
vs. Missouri Southern Lions (28-11, 9-5 MIAA)
Friday, April 12 • 3:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, Kan. • Turnbull Field/Trusler Sports Complex
Series Record: MSSU leads 46-44 • Last Meeting: MSSU 11, ESU 3 (5/3/23-MIAA)
Live Stats: esuhornets.com • Video: The MIAA Network Radio: None
vs. #9 Pittsburg State Gorillas (38-4, 12-2 MIAA)
Saturday, April 13 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Emporia, Kan. • Turnbull Field/Trusler Sports Complex
Series Record: ESU leads 82-58 • Last Meeting: ESU 13, at PSU 8 (4/14/23)
Live Stats: esuhornets.com • Video: The MIAA Network Radio: None
Ticket Info • Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Rockhurst • April 23 • Kansas City, Mo.

BE JACIE BIG
Emporia State will be wearing teal jerseys this weekend as they take on Missouri Southern and #9 Pittsburg State to help raise awareness of amniotic fluid embolisms.

LAST AT BAT
It was a fourth straight double header split for Emporia State as the Hornets won the matinee before falling in the nightcap at Neb.-Kearney last Friday afternoon in Kearney, Neb.
The Hornets came from behind to knock off the Lopers 4-3 in the first game. Emporia State could not complete a comeback in an 8-6 loss to Neb.-Kearney in the second game.
 
THE COACHES
April Rosales is 234-219 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 25-12 as acting head coach this season.
Hallie Blackney  is 155-100-1 in her sixth year at Missouri Southern. She is 5-6 against Emporia State.
Jenny Fuller is 90-51 in her third year at Pittsburg State and 234-167 in nine years as a head coach. She is 2-2 against ESU.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 26-17, 10-10 in the MIAA. They are ranked in the top 25 nationally in five offensive categories - 14th in triples, 19th in doubles, 23rd in stolen bases and sac flies, and 24th in hits. Alexis Dial is ninth in the nation in doubles, 16th in total bases, and 20th in RBI.

ABOUT THE LIONS
Missouri Southern  is 28-11, 9-5 in the MIAA and receiving votes in the NFCA National Poll. They are eighth in the nation in total stolen bases and triples.
SERIES HISTORY
The Lions lead the series 46-44. The Hornets have won 11 of the last 12 in Emporia.
LAST TIME VS. MO. SOUTHERN
Emporia State jumped out to a 3-0 lead but could not hold on in an 11-3 loss to #25 Missouri Southern in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.

ABOUT THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 38-4, 12-2 in the MIAA and ranked #9 in the NFCA National Poll. They are sixth in the nation in team batting average at .366 while Heather Arnett leads the nation in hits and stolen bases.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the series 82-58 overall.
LAST TIME VS. PITTSBURG STATE
The Hornets and Gorillas split last year's double header with PSU winning game one 16-3 and ESU taking game two 13-8.

ON DECK
Emporia State takes on Rockhurst in non-MIAA action on April 23 in Kansas City.

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is in her ninth season leading the Emporia State softball program and has a 234-219 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 25-12 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 129 career games with a .323 career batting average. This season Flewelling is batting .398 with a 1.070 OPS and has five home runs, 28 RBI, 11 doubles, a triple and 18 runs scored. She is fifth in the MIAA in doubles and eighth in hits. She is the older sister of Hornet Brooke Flewelling.
Ally Miller (Fr./Olathe, KS) has appeared in 11 games with ten behind the dish. She is batting batting .125 with a walk and a run scored.

IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Alexis Dial (Sr./Topeka, KS) is in her fourth season at Emporia State and has played  in 186 games with a .318 career batting average. This season, Dial is batting .436 with 17 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 48 RBI, 34 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. She is ninth in the nation in doubles, 16th in total bases, 20th in RBI, 24th in hits, and 25th in sac flies. She is leading the MIAA in doubles, ranks second in slugging percentage, OPS, sac flies and RBI, is third in hits, fifth in batting average, seventh in home runs, and eighth in on base percentage.
Outfielder Lexi Williams (Sr./Hutchinson, KS) is in her third season at Emporia State and is a career .314 hitter in 145 games. She is batting .366 in 42 games this season with five doubles, four triples, 16 RBI and 38 runs scored. She is fifth in the MIAA in runs scored and hits, ranks sixth in triples and ninth in stolen bases.  
Outfielder Emma Furnish (Sr./Goddard, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and has appeared in 187 games with a career .296 batting average. This season she is batting .317 with 24 RBI, 30 runs, seven doubles, four triples and three home runs. She has 18 outfield assists in her career. She is leading the MIAA and ranks 25th in the nation in sac flies and is sixth in the league in triples.
Outfielder Juliana De Luna (Fr./San Antonio, TX) is in her first season at Emporia State and has played in 28 games with seven starts. She has five RBI, 11 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 has played in 208 games with 205 starts. This season she is batting .291 with 12 doubles, a triple, three home runs, 38 runs scored, 16 RBI and 23 stolen bases. She leads the MIAA in hit by pitch while ranking second in the association in doubles, fourth in runs scored and fifth in stolen bases.  Ward has 125 career stolen bases and broke Morgan Viola's (124 from 2004-07) ESU career record on April 5 against Neb.-Kearney. Her 125 career steals is third among active players in Division II while her 42 times being hit by a pitch ranks seventh among active players and her 159 runs scored ranks 24th nationally.
First baseman Haley Garnett (Sr./Olathe, KS) is in her second season with the Hornets and is batting .226 with a .419 on base percentage, four home runs, 18 RBI, 23 runs scored, 30 walks and three stolen bases. She is leading the MIAA and 13th ninth nationally in walks per game.
Second baseman McKensy Glass (Sr./Wichita, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and has played in 153 career games. She has a .270 average with 17 RBI, nine runs scored and a .375 on base percentage this season. She is sixth in the MIAA in getting hit by pitch.  She is batting .389 in the sixth and seventh inning this year with over a third of her RBI coming in those innings.
Third baseman/pitcher Josie Harrison (Gr./St. Mary's, KS) is in her fifth year with the Hornets and is a career .307 hitter in 152 games with 17 wins and a 4.23 career ERA in the pitching circle. She is batting .350 with six doubles, a triple, four home runs, 24 RBI and 23 runs scored this season. Over her last ten games she is batting .500 with four doubles, two homers, nine RBI, nine runs and a .778 slugging percentage. As a pitcher she is 4-3 with a save and a 4.15 ERA this season. She is the older sister of Hornet Jordan Harrison.
Infielder/designated player Brooke Flewelling (Fr./Holton, KS) is in her first season with the Hornets and has played in 27 games with 24 starts for the Hornets. She has four doubles, a triple, three home runs, eight runs scored and 11 RBI in her freshman campaign. She is the younger sister of Hornet Bailey Flewelling.
Infielder/designated player Karli Wehunt (Fr./Shidler, OK) is in her first season with the Hornets and has  played in 20 games with 13 starts. She has six RBI, six runs scored, 12 walks and a .365 on base percentage. 
Infielder/designated player Avery Brewer (Fr./Jenks, OK) is in her first season at Emporia State is batting .310 with three doubles, 12 RBI and six runs scored in her 23 games played.

IN THE CIRCLE
Pitcher Gracie Rabe (Jr./Rossville, KS) is in her third season with the Hornets and has a team-best 2.86 ERA in 95.1 innings over 22 appearances with 13 starts this season. She is 7-8 and has struck out 55 batters and allowed just 20 walks this season. 
Pitcher Jayda VanAckeren (Jr./Omaha, NE) is in her third season with the Hornets and has made 18 appearances with 13 starts this season. She is 7-2 with a 5.13 ERA across 60.0 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 Jordan Harrison (Jr./St. Mary's, KS) is in her first season with the Hornets after transferring from Johnson County CC. She is 6-3 with two saves and a 4.54 ERA in 19 appearances with nine starts. She has tossed 69.1 innings and has a team best 58 strikeouts with just 18 walks allowed. She is seventh in the MIAA in saves.
Pitcher Kelly Hipsher (Sr./Olathe, Kan.) is in her second season with the Hornets and has 18 appearances with a 3.66 ERA across 28.2 innings with 20 strikeouts in one start this season. She is third in the MIAA and ranked 21st in the nation in saves.
Pitcher Josie Harrison (Gr./St. Mary's, KS) is in her fifth season for the Hornets and has made nine appearances with seven starts this season. She is 4-3 with a 4.15 ERA and a save in 28.2 innings pitched. Harrison also has a .350 batting average with 24 RBI and 23 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 10-5 at home this season with two of the five 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
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 23rd in the nation in total steals this season. 
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 holds the Emporia State career record with 125 career stolen bases. 

HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State has finished as the NCAA Division II National Runners-up twice, in 2006 and 2008. The Hornets have qualified for NCAA Regional play 13 times. The Hornets won the NAIA National Championship in 1983 and 1984 and won the AIAW National Championship in 1980.
The Hornets were MIAA regular season champions four straight years from 2005-08 and MIAA Tournament champions seven straight years running from 2004-10.  In the 21st Century, Emporia State has claimed the regular season title eight times (2005-08, 2010-12, 2014) and the tournament title nine times (2004-10, 2012, 2018).