Softball | 1/29/2026 9:00:00 AM
Games 1-5
Emporia State Hornets (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
vs. Lewis Flyers (0-0, 0-0 GLVC)
Friday, January 30 • 2:30 p.m. • Mansfield, Texas
vs. East Central Tigers (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Friday, January 30 • 4:45 p.m. • Mansfield, Texas
vs. Colorado Mines Orediggers (0-0, 0-0 RMAC)
Saturday, January 31 • 2:00 pm. • Mansfield, Texas
vs. Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds (0-0, 0-0 LSC)
Sunday, February 1 • 9:00 a.m. • Mansfield, Texas
vs. Southern Arkansas Muleriders (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Sunday, February 1 • 11:!5 a.m. • Mansfield, Texas
Live Stats • Complete Notes in pdf
STARTING UP IN THE LONE STAR STATE
Emporia State travels south for their first five games of the 2026 season, as they play in the Lone Star Classic in Mansfield, Texas.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State went 31-23 last season and finished eighth in the MIAA with a 10-14 record. The Hornets advanced to the MIAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season in 2025. A plethora of offensive players return for Emporia State heading into 2026, including their top seven leaders in batting average. Sydney Wagner played in 53 of 54 games as a freshman and posted a team-high .367 batting average while also putting together a flawless 14-14 stolen bases tally in 2025. Taryn Burkhardt, Ally Miller and Brooke Flewelling also return after hitting north of .300 last season. Burkhardt tallied just two extra-base hits, but found herself in scoring position all season as she led the team with 41 runs scored in large part due to her team-high 40 stolen bases. Flewelling provided the bulk of the power production, as she blasted 11 of the Hornet's 20 home runs last season, pushing her to an OPS of 1.083 in her sophomore season. The biggest question for Emporia State heading into 2026 season will be in the circle, as they look to replace all 347 innings pitched from 2025. The Hornets have five newcomers at pitcher, including a trio of transfers in Chloe Wilson, Izzy Sloan and Morgan Tomlinson that will look to carve out a role on the pitching staff.
SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Lewis went 37-20 last season, their third consecutive season with 37 or more wins, while also going 22-6 in the GLVC. The Flyers return three of their four players that hit above .300 last season in Nicole Magdziasz, Kristen Graham and Ana Frafjord. Magdziasz posted a .349 average in 2025, which was second for the Flyers. Graham and Frafjord both hit eight home runs to lead the team while cominbing to drive in more than 100 runs. In the circle, Allie Wondrasek is in line to be the Flyer's number one option after she posted a 2.26 ERA in 30 appearances last season. Across 179.1 innings, she recorded 160 strikeouts.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
East Central was 17-27 last season, with a 10-23 record in the GAC. The Tigers' lineup will likely be led Elyse LeClair, Addisyn Cox, Shayne Roberts and Carsyn Cox who all hit above .300 last season. LeClair was the most impactful in 2025, posting a .351 average while starting all 44 games. The Lone Star State native had a team-high 52 hits. More than 70% of their innings total in the circle is poised to return in 2026, which includes Lindsey Mauppin and Amera Garner who combined for 37 appearances in 2025.
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS
Colorado Mines went 22-32 last season, with a 21-22 record in the RMAC. The Oredigger offense will be led in 2026 by their leading hitter from last season, Kendall Aragon, who hit .409 while starting all 54 games. Aragon had a team-high 16 doubles while totaling 22 extra-base hits and 38 RBI. Emiaj Self and Lindy French also return after hitting above .340 last season. In the circle, both Kat Miller and Taylor Wayne return in 2026 after hurling more than 100 innings each last season.
SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS
Eastern New Mexico went 30-25 last season with a 23-21 mark in the LSC. The 30 wins for the Greyhounds is the most for the program since the 2006 season and just their third 30-win season in program history. The Greyhounds will be led offensively by Christina Meneses who hit .358 as a freshman in 2025, with 26 extra-base hits and 46 RBI. The leading pitcher for ENMU in 2025 was a freshman in Miranda Guillen who posted a 3.13 ERA in 134.1 innings pitched with 132 strikeouts.
SCOUTING THE MULERIDERS
Southern Arkansas went 43-10 and 28-4 in the GAC last season, marking their sixth 40-win season in 11 years under Jason Anderson. The Muleriders won both the GAC Regular Season and Tournament titles last season. Regan Dillon enters her senior season in 2026 after posting team-highs in batting average (.351), OPS (1.162), home runs (12), and runs scored (43). Kassie Rhodes returns in the circle after posting a 2.35 ERA in 65.2 innings pitched.
HEART STOPPING HORNETS
Emporia State played in 17 one-run games so far this season, which included nine wins in such games, including two wins in extra innings. They went 4-3 record in extra innings, and in addition to their one-run games, they went 6-1 in two-run games. Over the last decade, the Hornets finished .500 or better in one-run games nine times.
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).
