Back On The Road For Emporia State Softball

Softball | 4/10/2025 8:51:00 PM

Emporia State (25-17, 6-10 MIAA) at Northwest Missouri (16-23, 6-12 MIAA)
Friday, April 11 | 2:00 p.m. (DH) | Maryville, Mo. | Bearcat Softball Field
Overall: ESU leads 58-24  Last Meeting: NWMSU 2, at ESU 1 (3/30/24)
Radio: None Internet Audio: None Video: The MIAA Network
Emporia State (25-17, 6-10 MIAA) at Missouri Western(21-18, 8-10 MIAA)
Saturday, April 712• 12:00 p.m. (DH) • St. Joseph, Mo. • Griffon Softball Field
Overall: ESU leads 63-41  Last Meeting: at ESU 9, at UCM 6 (3/29/24)
Radio: None Internet Audio: None Video: The MIAA Network
Live Stats | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Drury | Wednesday, April 16 | Springfield, Mo.

BACK ON THE ROAD 
After an eight game home stand Emporia State goes back on the road this weekend for a pair of double headers at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State were out hit 27-7 by Central Missouri in a double header sweep by the Jennies on Monday at the Trusler Sports Complex.  UCM won game one 7-2 in nine innings before taking the nightcap 6-2.
Game One
In what was a pitchers duel for eight innings, Central Missouri exploded for five runs on six hits in the ninth inning for 7-2 victory in the matinee. Taryn Burkhardt and Brooke Flewelling each scored for the Hornets with Kinsey Perine getting an RBI. Flewelling being injured on her scoring play on obstruction.
Game Two
The Hornets were no hit through four innings in a 6-2 loss in the nightcap. Brynley Smith and Jayda VanAckeren had RBI while Juliana De Luna and Kylie Chester scored for Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State enters the weekend with a 25-17 record, 6-10 in the MIAA. The Hornets are second in the MIAA and 16th in the nation with 86 total stolen bases. Brooke Flewelling is tied for second in the league and 26th in the nation in home runs, is fifth in the MIAA  in RBI, sixth in slugging percentage and seventh in OPS. Taryn Burkhardt is third in the association and 15th nationally in stolen bases and third in the MIAA in walks drawn. Kinsey Perine is ninth in the conference in stolen bases.
In the circle, the Hornets are fourth in the MIAA in strikeout to walk ratio and are led by a trio of seniors. Gracie Rabe is third in the MIAA in innings pitched and walks allowed per seven innings, and is sixth in strikeout to walk ratio. Jordan Harrison is fourth in the league in wins, sixth in strikeouts, seventh in innings pitched and eighth in strikeout to walk ratio. Jayda VanAckeren is one of just three MIAA pitchers to have given up just two or fewer homers on the season.
Emporia State has a team fielding percentage of .961 to rank tenth in the MIAA.

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 264-239. 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 13-5 against Northwest Missouri and 7-13 against Missouri Western.
Naomi Tellez is 87-108 in her fourth year at Northwest Missouri. She is 2-4 against Emporia State.
Nicole Thompson is 21-18 in her first season at Missouri Western and 235-189 in her ninth season overall.  This is her first meeting with Emporia State.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 16-23 on the season, 6-12 in the MIAA. They lost their first seven home games before winning their last three at Bearcat Softball Field, including a 4-2 win over then #6 Central Oklahoma. They are fifth in the MIAA with a .314 batting average, are fifth in stolen bases with 63 and rank 11th with 11 home runs. Omara Love leads the conference with five triples and is tied for fourth with 12 doubles. Grace Lubben is sixth in the MIAA with a .500 on base percentage and her 1.117 OPS ranks ninth in the association. They are 11th in the MIAA with a 3.87 team ERA, are 11th in opponents batting average and 12th in walks allowed. Erika Gore ranks third in the league with a 1.79 ERA and opponents batting average at just .199 against her. The Bearcats are second in the MIAA with a .977 fielding percentage.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 58-24 and have won four of the last six meetings. The two teams have split the last ten games in Maryville.   

SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western is 21-18 overall, 8-10 in the MIAA. The Griffons are 5-5 at home this season including a 6-3 win over then #6 Rogers State. They have a .251 team batting average to rank 12th in the MIAA and are fourth with 68 stolen bases on the season. Kalee Higdon is ranked third in the MIAA with 29 stolen bases. As a staff the Jennies have a 2.68 team ERA to rank fifth in the MIAA while their 202 strikeouts rank fifth in the association as well. Sydney Rader leads the MIAA in strikeouts and innings pitched while her 1.84 ERA ranks fourth in the league. The Jennies are seventh in the MIAA with a .963 fielding percentage.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 63-41. Last year's 8-5 win by Emporia State snapped a seven game Missouri Western winning streak in the series.

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 in that position again this season. Emporia State is 86 of 102 on the base paths, with their 86 total steals ranking second in the MIAA and 16th in the nation. Four players have at least ten stolen bases led by Taryn Burkhardt with 30 steals on the season.

FINALLY HOME
Emporia State played 34 games before they make their home debut at the Trusler Sports Complex on March 28 against Neb.-Kearney. It was the latest home opening date for the Hornets since opening the 2022 season on April 1 after playing 32 games away from Trusler.

HEART STOPPING HORNETS
Emporia State has played in 13 one-run games so far this season, and have gone 8-5 in those games, which includes a pair of eight-inning victories, an eight inning and a nine inning lossd have a 3-2 record in extra inning games. They have 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 ESU won 11 one-run games in 2024, their most in a single season in Rosales' tenure.

IN THE FIELD
Catcher/Designated Player Ally Miller (So./Olathe, KS) is batting .290 in 32 games with 24 starts at catcher and seven at DP this season. She has seven doubles, a triple, a home run, 19 RBI and a .333 on base percentage. 
First baseman Haley Garnett (Gr./Olathe, KS) is in year three with the Hornets and has played in 122 games at Emporia State. In 41 starts this year she is batting .204 with a .305 on base percentage. She has 13 walks, four doubles, a triple and two home runs on the year.
Second baseman Mallory Moore (Fr./Flower Mound, TX) has started 29 of her 34 games as a true freshman. She is batting .270 including a .343 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 .318 with 11 home runs, eight doubles and two triples for a .738 slugging percentage and 1.165 OPS. She has 39 RBI on the year and joined 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 41 games for the Hornets in her first season. She is batting .362 with seven doubles, a triple, 25 runs scored and 17 RBI. She is batting .424 with runners on base and .435 with runners in scoring position.
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 42 games in centerfield and is batting .313 with a team-high 35 runs scored and 29 walks drawn. She has a .443 on base percentage overall and a .500 OBP while leading off an innning. Burkhardt is 30 of 35 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 41 of 42 games this season. She is batting .319 and has reached base at a .406 clip. She has 27 runs scored and 23 RBI this spring and is batting .364 with runners in scoring position.
Outfielder Kinsey Perine (Fr./Rossville, KS) has started all 42 games as a true freshman. She is batting .279 on the season with 18 RBI, 23 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. She is seven for eight 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 33 games with 18 starts at catcher and ten at DP. She is hitting .270 overall and .310 with runners on base. She hit .356 with a .468 on base percentage and .554 slugging percentage in 85 games for the Cougars.
Infielder/designated player Kennedy Topping (So./Wichita, KS) has played in 22 games with 15 starts this season with six starts at DP, eight at second base and one at third base. She is batting .311 on the year with a .583 average with two outs.
Infielder Brynley Smith (Fr./Wichita, Kan.) is batting .333 in nine games with five starts as a true freshman three at second base. She is batting .400 with runners in scoring position and is two for two in pinch hitting situations.

IN THE CIRCLE
Senior Gracie Rabe (Sr./Rossville, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and has pitched in 443.0 career innings over 103 games with 69 starts for Emporia State. She is 8-9 with a 2.58 ERA with three shutouts and two saves this season. She has struck out 64 while walking just 19 in 111.1 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 12-5 with a 3.40 ERA, 102 strikeouts and just 27 walks in 107.0 innings this season.
Senior Jayda VanAckeren (Sr./Omaha, NE) has made 75 appearances over her four years in the circle for the Hornets and has a 22-9 career record. She is 5-3 this season with a shutout and 3.76 ERA.

HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State finished as the NCAA Division II National Runners-up in 2006 and 2008. The Hornets have qualified for NCAA Regional play 13 times. ESU 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).

30 FOR 30
The Hornets 21-9 record was 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.