Softball | 4/2/2026 4:25:00 PM

Games 32-33 at Neb.-Kearney
Fri. April 3 | 2:00 PM (DH) | Dryden Park | Kearney, Neb.
All-Time ESU leads 31-19
Last Meeting    at ESU 6, UNK 0 3/28/2025
Games 34-35 at Fort Hays State
Sat. April 4 | 1:00 PM (DH) | Fleharty Family Field | Hays, Kan.
All-Time  ESU leads 52-35
Last Meeting    ESU 7, at FHSU 1 (MIAA Tourney) 4/30/2025
Live Stats | The MIAA Network
Complete Notes in pdf
UP NEXT: at #16 Central Oklahoma
Fri. April 10 | Edmond, Okla.

GO WEST
Emporia State heads west for a pair of MIAA double headers at Neb.-Kearney and Fort Hays State.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State dropped both ends of a doubleheader against #11 Missouri Southern on Saturday at the Trusler Sports Complex. 
The Hornets battled back from a six run deficit before falling 7-6 in the matinee. Kinsey Perine went two for three with three RBI and a run scored while Elina Bartlett was two for three with a triple, two RBI and a run scored. Chloe Wilson tossed 2.2 scoreless innings while Izzy Sloan allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts in the final 2.0 innings.
Three of Emporia State's five hits went for extra bases but the Hornets could only score one run while giving up three unearned runs in a 4-1 loss in the night cap. Brynley Smith and Addison Callaway both went one for three with a double as Callaway drove in Smith. Kinsey Perine was two for three with a triple. Hannah Butterbaugh suffered the loss, as she scattered seven hits over 5.2 innings to allow four runs, only one of which was earned.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 19-12, 5-5 in the MIAA and are 2-4 against Association teams ranked in the top 20 at the time they played. The Hornets are second in the MIAA in triples while ranking fifth in batting average, slugging percentage and home runs per game. Brooke Flewelling is leading the MIAA and ranked ninth in the nation with 11 homers. Taryn Burkhardt is leading the nation in solen base percentage with 24 thefts in 24 attempts. Kinsey Perine is third in the MIAA and 27th in the nation in triples.
The Hornets have the fourth-best ERA in the MIAA at 2.73. Freshman Hannah Butterbaugh's 1.51 ERA is second in the Association and is ranked 20th in the nation. Izzy Sloan has recorded three saves to ranke third in the MIAA and 12th in the nation. Morgan Tomlinson is second in the MIAA in walks per seven innings at 1.22 to rank 38th nationally.
Sydney Wagner is second in the MIAA and ranked tenth nationally with 2.80 assists per game.

SCOUTING THE LOPERS
Neb.-Kearney is 13-22, 2-4 in the MIAA with wins over then #3 Missouri Southern and Missouri Western in their last four games entering this weekend. They lead the MIAA in double plays turned but are last in the MIAA in scoring and batting average. Zaria Brigham is batting a team best .325 with nine doubles and 20 runs scored. Chloe Odle is 7-6 with a 2.70 ERA and leads the MIAA with 12 caught stealings in 17 attempts with her in the circle.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the series 31-19 and have won 11 of the last 16 meetings with three of the losses coming in Kearney and one at the MIAA Tournament in Edmond, Okla. Emporia State swept last year's double header 9-1 and 6-0 at Trusler.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 17-18, 3-7 in the MIAA entering the weekend. The have lost six straight MIAA games since a 4-1 win over then #3 Missouri Southern on March 20. They are second in the MIAA in stolen bases per game and third in total stolen bases. They rank second in the MIAA in double plays and have turned a triple play this season. Lilly Mohr is tied with ESU's Brooke Flewelling for the MIAA lead with 11 home runs on the year while Hannah Green is second in the MIAA in total hits. Solana Carpenter is 7-8 with a team best 3.90 and ranks second in the MIAA with 23 appearances in the circle.
SERIES HISTORY
The Hornets lead the series 52-35 and have won nine of the last 13 meetings including last year's 7-1 win in the first round of the MIAA Tournament at Fleharty Family Field in Hays.

IN THE DUGOUTS
Megan Hill is 19-12 in her first season as the head coach for Emporia State. She joined the coaching staff in 2024,and went 30-15 to close out that season as acting coach while April Rosales was on maternity leave. She was 1-1 against both Neb.-Kearney and Fort Hays State that year.   
Katie Ackermann is 125-179 in her seventh season at Neb.-Kearney. She is 3-8 against Emporia State.
Adrian Pilkington is 266-302 in her 12th season at Fort Hays State. She is 9-12 against the Hornets.

IN THE CIRCLE
Hannah Butterbaugh (Fr./Lenexa, Kan.) has made an immediate impact to the Hornet pitching staff in her freshman campaign. She is 9-4 with a 1.48 ERA that is third in the MIAA and 20th in the nation.
Izzy Sloan (Jr./Indianola, IA) has become a staple in relief this season, as 16 of her 20 appearances have come in relief. She is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA and her three saves are fourth in the MIAA and 12th in the nation.
Chloe Wilson (So./Kingwood, Texas) has a 3.63 ERA in 14 appearances with five starts and holds a 3-3 record. She has given up just ten walks in 34.2 innings pitched.
Morgan Tomlinson (Jr./Harveyville, Kan.) is 5-2 with a 4.49 ERA. She is second in the MIAA with 1.22 walks allowed per seven innings.

BEHIND THE PLATE AND AT BAT
Catcher/Designated Player Leslie Ramos (Sr./Grand Island, Neb.) has played in 21 games with 15 starts at either DP or catcher. She has a .320 OBP in 39 plate appearances with nine runs scored and five RBI.
Catcher/Designated Player Addison Callaway (Fr./Leavenworth, Kan.) has a hit in 17 of her last 19 games. She has raised her batting average from .273 to .391 over the last 19 games.

AROUND THE HORN
First baseman Avery Brewer (Jr./Jenks, Okla.) has started 29 games and is hitting .308 with six home runs and 22 RBI this season. She delivered the walk-off home run in the eighth inning of game one against #18 Rogers State.
Second baseman Brynley Smith (So./Wichita, Kan.) has made 19 starts in 22 games played. She is hitting .340 with three home runs, including a three-run home run against Augustana. Smith has 12 RBI, 13 runs scored and has been hit by pitch at team high five times.
Shortstop Sydney Wagner (So./Buda, Texas) has started all 31 games and holds a .290 average. She has scored 20 runs, drawn ten walks and is reaching base at a .355 clip. Wagner matched her career-high with three RBI in game two against Drury.
Third baseman Brooke Flewelling (Jr./Holton, Kan.) is leading the MIAA and ranks ninth in the nation with 11 home runs while her 78 total bases and her .750 slugging percentage both rank fifth in the MIAA. She has matched her home run total from last season and needs two more to move into the top six on the Emporia State single season homer list.
Karli Wehunt (Jr./Shidler, Okla.) has made 12 starts at second base and is hitting .268 this season with two doubles, one home run, five RBI and six runs scored.
Mallory Moore (So./Flower Mound, Texas) has 12 starts this season and is hitting .275 while reaching base in 17 of 46 plate appearances for a .370 OBP. 

OUT IN THE FIELD
Elina Bartlett (Jr./Cheney, Kan.) has made 25 starts in her first season with the Hornets after transferring from Barton CC. She has a .387 OBP while driving in 16 runs and scoring 12 of her own. Bartlett has six multi-hit games this season including a three for three effort against Newman.
Taryn Burkhardt (Sr./Silver Lake, Kan.) leads the nation in stolen base percentage with 24 steals in 24 attempts. She is fifth in the MIAA in stolen bases per game. Burkhardt has six multi-steal games this season including two games with three stolen bases.
Kinsey Perine (So./Rossville, Kan.) is hitting .321 with a .361 OBP this season while starting 27 games in right field. She has four triples this season to rank third in the MIAA and 27th in the nation.
Juliana De Luna (Jr./San Antonio, Texas) is in her third year with the Hornets and made nine starts. She has a .357 OBP with six walks in 28 plate appearances and has scored a pair of runs with two steals and three RBI.

HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State has qualified for NCAA Regional play 13 times and finished as the NCAA Division II National Runners-up in 2006 and 2008. 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).