Softball | 2/5/2026 11:21:00 AM

Games 6-11
Emporia State Hornets (4-1, 0-0 MIAA)
vs. William Jewell Cardinals (0-0, 0-0 GLVC)
Friday, Feb. 6 • 11:30 a.m. • Bentonville, Ark.
Series History: ESU leads 11-8 • Last Meeting: ESU 5, WJC 1 (2/7/25)

vs. Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (2-2, 0-0 GAC)
Friday, Feb. 6 • 2:00 p.m. • Bentonville, Ark.
Series History: ATU leads 6-3 • Last Meeting: ATU 3, ESU 2 (2/2/25)

vs. Truman State Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 GLVC)
Saturday, Feb. 7 • 11:00 a.m. • Bentonville, Ark.
Series History: ESU leads 39-28 • Last Meeting: TSU 7, ESU 4 (2/7/25)

vs. Harding Bisons (2-2, 0-0 GAC)
Saturday, Feb. 7 • 1:30 p.m. • Bentonville, Ark.
Series History: Series tied 4-4 • Last Meeting: ESU 10, HU 9 (2/10/24)

vs St. Mary's Rattlers (4-1, 0-0 LSC)
Sunday, Feb. 8 • 11:00 a.m. • Bentonville, Ark.
Series History: ESU leads 9-6 • Last Meeting: STM 7, ESU 5 (3/3/13)

vs. Arkansas-Monticello Blossoms (3-1, 0-0 GAC)
Sunday, Feb. 8 • 1:30 p.m. • Bentonville, Ark.
Series History: ESU leads 6-3 • Last Meeting: ESU 14, UAM 10 (2/8/25)
Complete Notes in pdf

ALVY EARLY AWAITS
Emporia State softball travels to Bentonville to play in the Alvy Early Classic, as they are set for six games in the Natural State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State went 4-1 over opening weekend as they travel to the Lone Star State for the Lone Star Classic in Mansfield, Texas. The Hornets outscored their opponents 31-7, with their only defeat coming against (RV) Southern Arkansas 2-1. At the plate, countless returners and one newcomer provided a bulk of the offense for Emporia State. Brooke Flewelling, who hit a team-high 11 home runs a year ago, belted three in the first five games for the Hornets and is hitting .588 along the way. Other returners including Karli Wehunt, Sydney Wagner, Avery Brewer and Taryn Burkhardt are all hitting above .300 so far. Elina Bartlett has started all five games for the Hornets after transferring from Barton CC, and is hitting .545 while reaching base in 9 of 14 plate appearances. In the circle, the Hornets have a host of newcomers with multiple making an impact in the first weekend. Izzy Sloan, Chloe Wilson and Hannah Butterbaugh have cominbed to pitch 27.1 of 31.0 innings for Emporia State, and all have an ERA of 1.85 or below. Butterbaugh is 3-0 with four appearances and one start, while Wilson is 1-1 and has an ERA 1.40. Sloan has hurled 6.0 shutout innings so far and has allowed just four hits.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
William Jewell will be opening their 2026 season, the first under head coach Emma Ryan, at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic. In 2025, the Cardinals went 24-26 with an 11-17 GLVC record. WJC returns a quartet of players that hit over .300 last season, including Amanda Chung who posted a .411 average with 31 RBI. In the circle, Avrey Reynolds returns after making 26 appearances and tallying a 4.78 ERA in 122.1 innings.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN SUNS
Arkansas Tech has opened the 2026 campagin with a 2-2 record, splitting their four games at the Branson Leadoff Classic which included a narrow 9-8 loss against #11 Central Oklahoma. The Golden Suns are hitting .280 as a team through their first four games and Aubree Jones is leading the way with a .400 average and two homers. Aly White has also contributed a team-high six RBI.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Similar to their conference foe William Jewell, Truman State's season kicks off in Bentonville for their fourth season under Ron Ferrill. The Bulldogs went 26-25 last season, their first winning season since 2019. Truman State looks to build upon their 2025 season in 2026 with the help of several returners, including Cassie Smith and Emily Wood. Smith hit .418, a team-high average, while Wood hit .399 with a team-high seven home runs, 45 RBI and 1.152 OPS.

SCOUTING THE BISONS
Like the Hornets, Harding traveled to Mansfield, Texas for the Lone Star Classic and the Bisons went 2-2. Zoey Neal and Lana Danielson are hitting .417 and .400 respectively through their first four games with Neal hitting one of Harding's two homers so far this season. In the circle, Avery Booker has a 2.86 ERA in 7.1 innings while holding opponents to just a .185 batting average.

SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
St. Mary's went 4-1 at the DII First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas in the first five games under head coach Taylor Lira. The Rattlers are hitting .272 as a team with Iliana Melendez, Samiya Johnson and Reagan Tennill provide a large portion of the offensive production. Melendez is 6-12 so far this season and Tennill has driven in a team-high six runs. Aly Garcia has been the most efficient pitcher, posting a 0.84 ERA in 8.1 innings pitched.

SCOUTING THE BLOSSOMS
Arkansas-Monticello is 3-1 to begin the 2025 season, their eighth under head coach Kyle Lem, which included a 7-4 win over #11 Central Oklahoma. The Blossoms are hitting .308 as a team, with seven different players driving in multiple runs so far this season. In the circle, Jadyn Barger and Kyleigh Benton have 2.47 and 2.80 ERAs respectively have helped the Blossoms allow just a .221 opponent batting average

HEART STOPPING HORNETS
Emporia State played in 17 one-run games last 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).