Split on Friday for Emporia State Softball at Northwest Missouri

April 11, 2025-Emporia State came away from Friday afternoon with a split at Northwest Missouri. The Hornets dropped game one 4-3 before coming back with a 2-0 win in the second game.
 
Game One
The Hornets led going into the bottom of the sixth before the Bearcats scored three runs to take a 4-3 win in the matinee.
Taryn Burkhardt manufactured a run in the top of the first for Emporia State. She led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on Sidney Wagner's ground out and scored on a Juliana De Luna ground out. Northwest Missouri tied the game with an RBI double from Grace Lubben in the bottom of the fourth inning. 
The Hornets retook the lead in the top of the sixth with an RBI single from Mallory Moore that plated Ally Miller to give ESU a 2-1 lead. The Bearcats loaded the bases with one out in bottom of the sixth and tied the game with an RBI single from Malia Cuevas. Gaige Pinkerton followed with a two run single to put NWMSU up 4-2. Emporia State avoided further damage when a runner was called out for interference for the second out and got the final out at home plate to end the inning. Brynley Smith homered to lead off the top of the seventh to get the Hornets within a run. With two outs Kennedy Topping worked a walk to put the go ahead run on base but were not able to get her home.
Ally Miller and Mallory Moore each went two for three with Miller scoring a run and Moore driving her in while Brynley Smith had a solo homer.
 
Game Two
Gracie Rabe tossed a four hit shut out in the Hornets 2-0 win in game two.
Kennedy Topping gave Rabe all the offense she would need with a lead off homer in the top of the second. Emporia State go an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Sydney Wagner singled with two outs and pinch runner Kennedy Chester went to second on Mallory Moore's single.  Chester would make it 2-0 when she came home on Ally Miller's RBI single.
Rabe would retire 11 straight from the fourth inning into the seventh.  Malia Cuevas reached on a two out single in the bottom of the seventh but Rabe got a fly ball to end the game.
Rabe tossed her fourth shut out of the game, allowing just four hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Ally Miller and Kennedy Topping both went two for four with an RBI while Topping also scored a run.
 
The Hornets will be back in action on Saturday afternoon at Missouri Western.  First pitch from the Griffon Softball Field is set for 12:00 p.m.