February 8, 2025 – Emporia State softball split on Saturday at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic as the Hornets fell 4-3 against top-ranked UT-Tyler before ending the day with a 14-10 win against Arkansas-Monticello.
Game 1
The Hornets mounted a late-inning comeback to pull level with the #1 ranked Patriots before falling in game one on Saturday.
UT-Tyler struck first in the opening frame, using a lead off triple to help secure an early 1-0 lead. Following a second inning with no runners, the Hornets threatened to score in the third inning. Emporia State advanced two runners into scoring position with one out but were unable to push a run across to tie the game.
The Patriots eventually doubled their lead, as a solo home run by Krolczyk put UT-Tyler ahead 2-0. UT-Tyler's largest advantage came in the bottom of the fifth, as a single, stolen base and another single to lead off the inning stretched the lead to 3-0.
Emporia State's rally would come in the top of the sixth, with all three runs coming with two outs. With two outs and the bases loaded,
Kennedy Topping singled to right center, driving in a pair, and advancing the tying run to third base. The Patriots were forced to go to the bullpen and
Haley Garnett capitalized in the next at-bat, singling to score the tying run.
The Patriots responded in the bottom half, picking up a run to retake a 4-3 lead. The Hornets were able to force a walk in the seventh, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate, but were unable to bring the runner around as Emporia State fell 4-3 against #1 UT-Tyler.
Five different Hornets had a hit in the game while
Kennedy Topping had two RBI.
Game 2
Emporia State bounced back in game two, winning a back-and-forth battle against Arkansas-Monticello.
In a game where both teams combined to score multiple runs in a frame on eight occasions and tally 32 hits, the Blossoms got the game started in the top of the first with two runs of their own. The Hornets got a run back in the bottom half, as an RBI from
Kennedy Topping made the score 2-1.
After two more runs for Arkansas-Monticello, Emporia State leveled the score in the bottom of the second with three runs. A bases loaded walk for
Juliana De Luna, a sacrifice fly from
Brooke Flewelling and a passed ball brought the score level at 4-4.
Both teams were scoreless in the third, before Emporia State took their first lead in the fourth frame. An RBI sac bunt by
Leslie Ramos, followed by a pinch-hit RBI single from
Mallory Moore put the Hornets ahead 6-4. With two outs, Emporia State added two more, this time on a pinch-hit single by
Grace McCarty to make the score 8-4.
A three-run home run for the Blossom in the fifth pulled UAM within one run, but the Hornets answered with two more in the bottom of the inning, getting a sac fly from
Kennedy Topping and another RBI single by
Mallory Moore to extend the lead to 10-7.
The Blossoms would again use the deep ball in the sixth, as their second three-run home run brought Arkansas-Monticello level with Emporia State.
Gracie Rabe took over in the circle and after two singles by the Blossoms, Rabe picked up a pair of strikeouts to strand the runners and keep the score knotted at 10-10.
Emporia State generated another response in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits.
With one out,
Juliana De Luna singled through the right side, driving in two runs and restoring the Hornet lead at 12-10.
Brooke Flewelling followed De Luna, and lifted her second home run of the season to center field, extending the Emporia State lead to 14-10.
Rabe was able to silence the Blossom bats in the seventh, retiring them in order to seal the 14-10 win and the Saturday split.
Emporia State recorded 17 hits in the game, with five players recording multi-hit games.
Juliana De Luna went 4-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Taryn Burkhardt went 3-5 with three runs scored.
Brooke Flewelling,
Leslie Ramos and
Mallory Moore each had two hits in the game. Flewelling drove in three runs while Moore,
Grace McCarty and
Kennedy Topping each had two RBI of their own.
The Hornets will wrap up the Alvy Early Memorial Classic on Sunday, February 9 as they take on Missouri-St. Louis at 11:00 a.m. and Southern Arkansas at 1:30 p.m.
