March 18, 2026-Emporia State softball split a non-conference double header at Drury on Wednesday afternoon in Springfield, Mo. The Hornets fell 5-4 in game one and took a 10-3 win in the second game.
 
GAME ONE Drury 5, Emporia State 4
The Hornets got two solo home runs but left seven runners on base in a 5-4 loss to the Panthers in the matinee.
Addison Callaway got Emporia State on the board with a one out homer in the second inning. Drury responded with a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double to left by Gabrielle Bax. Emporia State held the damage to one run thanks to an inning ending relay throw from Elina Batlett to shortstop Sydney Wagner to catcher Ally Miller as Reece Anderson tried to score from first on the Bax double.
The Panters went up 5-1 in the bottom of the third on and RBI single from Kaley Adzick, a sac fly by Avery Budde and a two run single from Clair Nelson. Brynley Smith answered the DU runs with a solo homer to lead off the top of the fourth inning. Callaway followed with a double and went to third on a ground out.  Ally Miller singled in Callaway to make it 5-3.
With the bases loaded and one out in the sixth Wagner hit a ball to left that scored pinch runner Leslie Ramos but pinch runner Lily Winright was out going to third from second and the Hornets would strand two in the inning.
Addison Callaway was two for four with a homer, a double, two runs and an RBI while Brynley Smith went one for three with a solo home run. Ally Miller was two for three with an RBI and Sydney Wagner had an RBI fielder's choice.  Izzy Slown went the distance in the circle allowing five runs on nine hits with a walk.
 
GAME TWO Emporia State 10, Drury 3
The Hornets scored nine runs combined in the second and third innings on the way to a 10-3 win in the nightcap.
After a scoreless first inning, Emporia State erupted for four runs on five hits in the second. The first five Hornets reached base with Elina Bartlett getting the first RBI on a walk. Sydney Wagner delivered a two run single to make it 3-0 and Taryn Burkhardt followed with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead.
The Panthers made a pitching change to start the third inning and the Hornets greeted Natalie Wilks with five runs on five hits with a walk and hit batter.  Brynley Smith led off with a walk and went to third on a bunt single by Addison Callaway.  Avery Brewer doubled in two runs to put the Hornets up 6-0.  After a wild pitch sent her to third Leslie Ramos hit a sac fly to give ESU a 7-0 lead. Wagner got her third RBI of the game with a double to left center and Burkhardt drove her in with a single to make it 9-0 and force another pitching change.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Drury got on the board thanks to two errors before Morgan Tomlinson got a fly out to center to end the inning. The Hornets got the first of their two ground ball double plays of the game to end a Panthers threat in the fourth inning.
Emporia State took a 9-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth but Drury got a pair of runs on a ground out and a sac fly to keep the game alive. The Hornets got one of the runs back in the top of the sixth thanks to a RBI double by Smith that plated Burkhardt.
Hannah Butterbaugh relieved Tomlinson to start the bottom of the sixth and hit the first batter she faced.  She then coaxed two ground balls with the last one resulting in an inning ending double play. Neither team would score in the seventh as Emporia State earned the doubleheader split.
Sydney Wagner went two for four with a double, two RBI and a run scored while Taryn Burkhardt was three for four with two RBI and a run scored at the top of the line up. Avery Brewer was two for two with two RBI and a run scored. Morgan Tomlinson picked up the win, allowing three runs, two of them earned, on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
 
UP NEXT
The Hornets return to MIAA play on Saturday, March 21 when the travel to Wichita to take on Newman.  First pitch of the double header from the NU Softball Field is set for 1:00 p.m.