Big Weekend On Tap For Emporia State Softball

Softball | 3/20/2025 3:43:00 PM

GAMES 31-32
Emporia State (21-9, 2-2 MIAA) at Mo. Southern (23-9, 3-1 MIAA)
Saturday, March 22 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Joplin, Mo. • Pat Lipira Softball Complex
Overall: Series tied 46-46 • Last Meeting: ESU 8, MSSU 0 (4/12/24)
GAMES 33-34
Emporia State (19-9, 2-2 MIAA) at #25 Pittsburg State (21-9, 2-2 MIAA)
Sunday, March 23 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Pittsburg, Kan. • Pittsburg State Softball Field
Overall: ESU leads 82-60 • Last Meeting: PSU 11, ESU 7 (4/13/24)
Live Stats | The MIAA Network | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: Neb.-Kearney | Friday, March 29 • 3:00 p.m. (DH)
Emporia, Kan. • Trusler Sports Complex

BIG WEEKEND 
Emporia State returns to MIAA action with a road trip to take on Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State this weekend.

LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets traveled to the Sunshine State for The Spring Games, and returned with five wins in five games. Emporia State opened the trip with a 2-0 win over Bemidji State, which featured a complete game shutout by Gracie Rabe in the circle. The Hornets pickd up run-rule win in their next two games, 8-0 against Lake Erie and 12-0 against Wayne State (MI). Day two was capped off against Shepherd, as Emporia State trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth before rallying with four runs on two RBI singles from both Juliana De Luna and Haley Garnett to pull out the 4-3 win and extend the winning streak. On day three, the Hornets picked up the run-rule win over Saint Michael's 8-0 in five innings, which would end up completing the weekend as the final game of the slate was canceled due to weather. 

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State enters the weekend with a 21-9 record, and have won seven seven straight on their way to the best record through 30 games since the 2015 season. The Hornets are hitting .315 as a team and have eight hitters with an average above .300 with at least 60 at-bats on the season. Taryn Burkhardt and Juliana De Luna are both north of .350 with .355 and .352 averages respectively. Burkhardt also leads the way with a .474 OBP as she has reached base in all 30 games this season while stealing 23 bases. Brooke Flewelling is batting .308 and has a team-high seven home runs and 29 RBI while slugging a team-high .705. In the circle, the Hornets are led by a trio of seniors, with Gracie Rabe and Jordan Harrison pitching 78.2 and 74.2 innings pitched on the season. Rabe has a 2.40 ERA and has 52 strikeouts with 13 walks allowed this season. Harrison has a 2.62 ERA and has 77 strikeouts and a 9.2 record. Both Rabe and Harrison rank inside the top seven in the MIAA in innings pitched and complete games. 

IN THE DUGOUT
April Rosales is in her tenth season leading the Emporia State softball program. Her record as head coach for the Hornets is 260-231. 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 12-8 against Missouri Southern and 9-11 against Pittsburg State.
Hallie Blackney is 183-120-1 in her seventh season at Missouri Southern.  She is 5-8 against Emporia State.
Josh Barnes is 21-9 in his first season at Pittsburg State. This is his first meeting with the Hornets.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is 23-9 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA.  They are 10-0 at home this season.  The Lions have an MIAA best 2.04 team ERA with ten shutouts on the season and rank third in the nation with 88 total stolen bases. They rank seventh in the MIAA in batting average at .300 while their .962 fielding percentage ranks ninth in the association. Katie Gray leads the MIAA with 11 home runs and 43 RBI on the season to rank second and third in the nation respectively. Bailey Dillon is second in the MIAA and 13th in the nation with 23 stolen bases. In the circle Kiki Pickens is 11-3 with a 1.83 ERA. She ranks second in the MIAA and 12th in the nation in wins while ranked third in the MIAA in ERA.

SERIES HISTORY
The series is tied at 46-46 after the Hornets swept last year's double header winning 3-2 in the first game and 8-0 in five innings in the nightcap at Trusler.

SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 21-9 on the season, 2-2 in the MIAA and ranked #25 in this week's NFCA National Poll. They lead the MIAA in batting average at .364 and total runs scored with 184, ranking sixth nationally in batting average and 18th in runs scored. They are second in the MIAA in fielding percentage at .975 while ranking fourth in the league with a 2.52 team ERA.  Heather Arnett leads the MIAA with a .547 batting average, 58 hits and 26 stolen bases.  She leads the nation in hits, is second in batting average and seventh in stolen bases. In the circle Aydenne Brown is 9-4 with a 2.78 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 14 appearances while Ava Laurent is 9-4 with a 3.18 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 15 appearances.

SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State leads the all-time series 82-60.  Pittsburg State won both games last season at Trusler. 

30 FOR 30
The Hornets 21-9 record is their best start after 30 games since going 23-7 to start the 2015 season. That team would finish the year 35-20, 16-9 in the MIAA.

STILL ON THE ROAD
Emporia State will play 34 games before they make their home debut at the Trusler Sports Complex on March 28 against Neb.-Kearney. It is the latest home opening date for the Hornets since opening the 2022 season on April 1 after playing 32 games away from Trusler.

OFF AND RUNNING
The Hornets have led or finished inside the top three in the MIAA in stolen bases in eight of the last nine seasons and are off to a similar start this season. Emporia State is 66 of 75 on the base paths through the first 30 games, with their 66 total steals ranking second in the MIAA and 17th in the nation.

HEART STOPPING HORNETS
Emporia State has played in 12 one-run games so far this season, and have gone 8-4 in those games, which includes a pair of eight-inning victories and a nine inning loss. They ahve gone 3-0 in two run games this season. In the first nine years under Rosales, the Hornets finished .500 or better in one-run games eight times, and Emporia State won 11 one-run games in 2024, their most in a single season in Rosales' tenure.

IN THE FIELD
Catcher Ally Miller (So./Olathe, KS) is batting .317 in 21 games with 16 starts at catcher and four at DP this season. Miller has five doubles, a triple, 12 RBI and a .359 on base percentage. She is batting .364 with runners in scoring position.
First baseman Haley Garnett (Gr./Olathe, KS) is in year three with the Hornets and has played in 111 games at Emporia State. In 30 starts this year she is batting .259 with a .348 on base percentage. She has 16 walks, four doubles, a triple and two home runs on the year.
Second baseman Mallory Moore (Fr./Flower Mound, TX) has started 20 of her 23 games as a true freshman. She is batting .323 on the season including a .458 average with two outs. 
Third baseman Brooke Flewelling (So./Holton, KS) is in year two with the Hornets after playing in 35 games as a freshman. She is hitting .308 with seven home runs, six doubles and two triples for a .705 slugging percentage and 1.128 OPS. She has 29 RBI on the year and joins Alexis Dial from last season as the only Hornets since 2014 with 20 or more RBI within the first 20 games of the season.
Shortstop Sydney Wagner (Fr./Buda, TX) has started 29 games for the Hornets in her first season. She is batting .341 five doubles, 20 runs scored and 12 RBI. She is batting .367 with runners on base.
Outfielder Taryn Burkhardt (Jr./Silver Lake, KS) is in her first year with the Hornets after transferring from Johnson County CC. Burkhardt has started all 30 games in centerfield and is batting .351 with a team-high 26 runs scored and 19 walks drawn. She has a .465 on base percentage and a .550 OBP while leading off an innning. Burkhardt is 23 of 26 on stolen bases this year. She had a .411 batting average and stole 68 bases over her two seasons at Johnson County CC, twice earning All-Region VI recognition.
Outfielder Juliana De Luna (So./San Antonio, TX) played in 30 games as a freshman last season and has started 29 of 30 games this season. She is batting .352 and has reached base at a .406 clip. She has 20 runs scored and 18 RBI this spring and is batting .382 with runners in scoring position.
Outfielder Kinsey Perine (Fr./Rossville, KS) has started all 30 games as a true freshman. She is batting .333 on the season with 17 RBI, 17 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. She is six for six in RBI opportunities with a runner on third and less than two outs. Her mother Shanna (Spann) was a starter for the Lady Hornets 1998 national runner up women's basketball team.
Catcher/designated player Leslie Ramos (Jr./Grand Island, NE) is in her first season with the Hornets after transferring from Barton CC. She has played in 25 games with 14 starts at catcher and six at DP. She is hitting .333 overall and .355 with runners on base. She hit .356 with a .468 on base percentage and .554 slugging percentage in 85 games for the Cougars.

IN THE CIRCLE
Senior Gracie Rabe (Sr./Rossville, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and has pitched in 410.1 career innings over 33 games for Emporia State. She is 7-6 with a 2.40 ERA with three shutouts and two saves this season. She has struckout 52 while walking just 13 in 78.2 innings.
Senior Jordan Harrison (Sr./St. Mary's, KS) is in year two at Emporia State and after tossing 88.0 innings last season. She is 9-2 with a 2.62 ERA, 77 strikeouts and just 16 walks in 74.2 innings this season.
Senior Jayda VanAckeren (Sr./Omaha, NE) has made 68 appearances over her four years in the circle for the Hornets and has a 22-7 career record. She is 5-1 this season with a shutout and 4.13 ERA this season.

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).