Turnpike Tussle Wraps Up Regular Season for Emporia State Softball

Softball | 4/25/2025 11:57:00 PM

Emporia State (29-21, 9-13 MIAA) at Washburn (30-19, 12-10 MIAA)
Saturday, April 26 | 1:00 p.m.
Topeka, Kan. | Gahnstrom Field
Overall: ESU leads 99-66  Last Meeting: at ESU 5, WU 4 (4/27/24)
Radio: None Internet Audio: None Video: The MIAA Network
Live Stats | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: MIAA Tournament
Wednesday, April 30 | 3:00 or 5:30 p.m.
Hays, Kan. | Fleharty Family Field

REGULAR SEASON FINALE 
Emporia State plays their final two regular season games are the Turnpike Tussle at Washburn. Emporia State will secure the eighth seed in the MIAA Tournament with two wins, while a split would most likely put them in the tournament. The Hornets could still make the tourney with two losses but would need some help.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State swept Newman on Senior Day and passed four teams in the MIAA standings. 
The Hornets had to shake off some Senior Day before settling in for a 12-4 run rule win in the matinee. Emporia State used a five run third inning to take the lead for good.  Mallory Moore was three for four with three RBI, two runs scored and two doubles. Taryn Burkhardt went three for three with three runs and two stolen bases.  Gracie Rabe got the win, going 4.0 innings and allowing three runs, two of them earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and only one walk.  
The Hornets scored five runs in the third and fourth innings and then held on for a 5-4 win in the nightcap. The Hornets had four players with two hits while five players each scored a single run.  Jordan Harrison worked the first 5.0 innings allowing two runs, one of them earned while scattering six hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Rabe worked the final 1.0 inning and retired all three batters she faced to pick up her third save of the season.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 29-21, 9-13 in the MIAA. They are 19-2 against teams under .500 on the season. 
The Hornets are second in the MIAA and 13th in the nation with 112 total stolen bases. Taryn Burkhardt is second in the association and ninth nationally in stolen bases and fourth in the MIAA in walks drawn. Brooke Flewelling is fifth in the league and 54rd in the nation in home runs, is seventh in the MIAA in RBI, fifth in slugging percentage and sixth in OPS. Kinsey Perine is sixth 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 leads the MIAA and is ranked 16th in the nation in appearances, leads the league in walks allowed per seven innings,  is fourth in shutouts, fifth in WHIP, and strikeout to walk ratio and sixth in innings pitched. Jordan Harrison is fourth in the league strikeout to walk ratio, fourth in appearances, sixth in complete games and innings pitched, and seventh in strikeouts. 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 ninth 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 268-243. 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 12-13 against Washburn.
Brenda Holaday is 282-168 in her ninth year at Newman. She is 11-10 against Emporia State.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Newman is 30-19 on the season, 12-10 in the MIAA and ranked eighth in the Central Region. They have lost three of their last five games. They lead the MIAA and are 12th in the nation in doubles, are third in walks drawn and seventh in the MIAA with a .290 batting average. Erin Boles is third in the MIAA with 15 doubles. They are ranked ninth in the MIAA with a 3.62 team ERA and are allowing teams to hit .273 against them but are third in the league in shutouts.  Sadie Walker is leading the MIAA in appearances and ranks fifth in strikeouts.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the all-time series 99-66 and have won three of the last four meetings.

LAST AT BAT WITH WASHBURN
After a 48 hour delay due to weather, Emporia State pulled out a 5-4 win over #24 Washburn in eight innings at the Trusler Sports Complex.
The game was resumed after being halted due to extreme weather in the bottom of the sixth inning on Saturday with the Hornets leading 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth.  When play resumed Emporia State was retired in order by Ichabod pitcher Jaycee Ginter.   In the top of the seventh Marrit Mead hit a lead off homer to tie the game at 4-4 before Jayda VanAckeren retired the next three batters to end the inning.
Emporia State was retired in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.  Jaden LaBarge led off the top of the eighth with a double that brought Kelly Hipsher on in relief in the circle for the Hornets. After a sac bunt moved LaBarge to third Madi Moore worked a four pitch walk to put runners on the corners with one out. The Ichabods sent Moore from first and Bailey Flewelling threw her out at second and Abbey Ward fired the ball back to Flewelling who was able to tag out LaBarge for an inning ending double play.
Josie Harrison led off the bottom of the eighth with a single through the right side and was replaced by pinch runner Julianna DeLuna. Emma Furnish laid down a sac bunt to put DeLuna on second and Bailey Flewelling hit a fly ball to deep center that allowed DeLuna to go to third.  With two outs McKensy Glass was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners.  Brooke Flewelling then worked a full count before lacing a single into left field that plated DeLuna and gave the Hornets a 5-4 win and sweep of the Turnpike Tussle.
 
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 112 of 128 on the base paths, with their 112 total steals ranking second in the MIAA and 13th in the nation. Four players have at least ten stolen bases led by Taryn Burkhardt with 39 steals on the season. Burkhardt needs one steal to tie Abbey Hughes (40 in 2010) for third on the ESU single season chart, three to tie Hughes (42 in 2011) for second and six to tie Jessie Wiard's school record of 45 set in 2008.

ROAD WARRIORS 
Emporia State played 34 games before they made 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. Emporia State will play 42 of their 52 regular season games away from Trusler this year.

HEART STOPPING HORNETS
Emporia State has played in 17 one-run games so far this season, and have gone 9-8 in those games, which includes a pair of eight-inning victories, an eight inning and a nine inning loss. They have a 3-3 record in extra inning games. They have gone 5-1 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.

REGIONAL RANKINGS
The first official NCAA Central Regional Rankings were released this week and the MIAA has five of the ten teams mentioned. 

IN THE FIELD
Catcher/Designated Player Ally Miller (So./Olathe, KS) is batting .297 in 39 games with 29 starts at catcher and eight at DP this season. She has seven doubles, a triple, a home run, 21 RBI and a .345 on base percentage. 
First baseman Haley Garnett (Gr./Olathe, KS) is in year three with the Hornets and has played in 130 games at Emporia State. In 49 starts this year she is batting .238 with a .333 on base percentage, 15 walks, seven doubles, a triple and two home runs.
Second baseman Mallory Moore (Fr./Flower Mound, TX) has started 37 of her 42 games as a true freshman. She is batting .293 including a .357 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 .311 with 11 home runs, nine doubles and three triples for a .705 slugging percentage and 1.132 OPS. She has 42 RBI on the year and needs two homers to tie Hannah Steeby for sixth on the ESU single season list.
Shortstop Sydney Wagner (Fr./Buda, TX) has started 49 games for the Hornets in her first season. She is batting .353 with nine doubles, a triple, 28 runs scored and 21 RBI. She is batting .403 with runners on base and .411 with runners in scoring position.
Outfielder Taryn Burkhardt (Jr./Silver Lake, KS) transferred to ESU from Johnson County CC. Burkhardt has started all 50 games in center field and is batting .300 with a team-high 40 runs scored and 31 walks drawn. She has a .423 on base percentage overall and a .493 OBP while leading off an inning. Burkhardt is 39 of 44 on stolen bases this year to rank fifth on the Hornets all-time single season list. She had a .411 batting average and stole 68 bases in two seasons at Johnson County CC, twice earning All-Region VI honors.
Outfielder Juliana De Luna (So./San Antonio, TX) played in 30 games as a freshman last season and has started 49 of her 50 games this season. She is batting .277 and has reached base at a .367 clip. She has 28 runs scored and 24 RBI this spring.
Outfielder Kinsey Perine (Fr./Rossville, KS) has started all 50 games as a true freshman. She is batting .295 on the season with 21 RBI, 26 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. She is eight for nine 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) transferred from Barton CC. She has played in 36 games with 20 starts at catcher and 11 at DP. She is hitting .277 overall and .327 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 27 games with 18 starts this season with eight starts at second base, eight at DP, and two at third base. She is batting .315 on the year with a .500 average with two outs.
Infielder Brynley Smith (Fr./Wichita, Kan.) is batting .261 in 13 games with eight starts as a true freshman including three at second base, two at third and two at short stop. She is two for three in pinch hitting situations.

IN THE CIRCLE
Gracie Rabe (Sr./Rossville, KS) is in her fourth season with the Hornets and has pitched in 462.0 career innings over 108 games with 72 starts for Emporia State. She is 10-10 with a 2.47 ERA, four shutouts and three saves this season. She has struck out 78 while walking just 22 in 130.1 innings.
Jordan Harrison (Sr./St. Mary's, KS) is in year two at Emporia State after tossing 88.0 innings last season. She is 14-7 with a 3.22 ERA, 115 strikeouts and just 3310 walks in 130.1 innings this season.
Jayda VanAckeren (Sr./Omaha, NE) has made 79 appearances over her four years in the circle for the Hornets and has a 22-10 career record. She is 5-4 this season with a shutout and 3.86 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.

BLACK JACK
The Hornets have five players with exactly 21 RBI entering the Turnpike Tussle.