April 29, 2026-In a key midweek matchup with MIAA Tournament and NCAA Central Region implications Emporia State swept Central Missouri on Wednesday afternoon in Warrensburg, Mo. The Hornets won the first game 3-2 and took a 9-6 decision in the second game.
Game One ESU 3, UCM 2
The Hornets came from behind to post a 3-2 win in the matinee.
The Jennies got on the board first thanks to a pair of walks, an infield single and a sac fly by Taylor Kvale in the bottom of the second. Another sac fly, this one from Marisa Johnson, gave UCM a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
Emporia State tied the game in the top of the fourth inning.
Ally Miller reached on an error and with two outs went to second on a
Brynley Smith single to left.
Addison Callaway brought them both home with a triple down the right field line to tie the game at 2-2.
In the top of the fifth
Kinsey Perine led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. With one out she advanced to third on a Syndey Wagner single that prompted a pitching change for the Jennies. Riley Bebb relieved Anna Lee Kulka and promptly walked
Brooke Flewelling to load the bases.
Ally Miller followed with a sac fly to put the Hornets on top 3-2.
In the bottom of the fifth UCM had a runner on first with two outs when Johnson singled to right, but Perine was able to throw out Aly Hageman trying to go to third to end the inning.
Lexi Blackmon led off the bottom of the sixth with an infield single and went to second on a sac bunt. Callaway then threw her out trying to steal third. After another single,
Morgan Tomlinson was able to get a fly ball out to end the inning. Taylor Thompson singled with two out in the bottom of the seventh to bring the winning run to the plate, but Tomlinson got Aly Hageman to ground out to end the game.
Sydney Wagner was three for four and
Brynley Smith went two for three with a run scored.
Addison Callaway had one hit but it was a two RBI triple while
Ally Miller went one for three with sac fly and a run scored.
Morgan Tomlinson went the distance in the circle, allowing two runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings.
Game Two ESU 9, UCM 6
In a game that featured the top home run hitting team in the MIAA in Central Missouri and the team that gives up the fewest homers in Emporia State, it was the Hornets that used the long ball in a 9-6 win in the nightcap.
Taryn Burkhardt got Emporia State started when she singled to center, stole second and third and then came home on a double steal attempt that saw
Sydney Wagner get thrown out. With two outs
Ally Miller singled through the left side before
Avery Brewer launched a two run homer to left center to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead.
Addison Callaway led off the top of the second with a double down the left field line and with one out went to third on a sac bunt by
Kinsey Perine. Burkhardt made it 4-0 when she beat out a single to third that drove in Callaway.
The Jennies used the small ball to get back in the game in the bottom of the second. After a lead off single by Marisa Johnson, UCM got back to back bunt singles to load the bases. Taylor Kvale was then hit by a pitch to drive in their first run. After a sac fly by Jadyn Sheffield made it 4-2 Kyrsten Moran doubled to left center to tie the game at 4-4.
Hannah Butterbaugh then came on in relief and got a strike out and ground out to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Burkhardt reached on an error by the shortstop and went to second on an infield single by Wagner.
Brooke Flewelling reached on a bunt to load the bases before Miller single in Burkhardt to give the Hornets a 5-4 lead. On the next pitch
Avery Brewer hit a grand slam to right center to give Emporia State a 9-4 lead and force the second pitching change of the game for the Jennies. Bailey Brumley went from first base to pitcher and got a pop out and two ground outs to end the inning after the Hornets had scored five runs on four hits in the inning.
UCM got two of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI single by Johnson and a run scoring bunt single by Lexi Blackmon to make it 9-6. After a walk loaded the bases, Butterbaugh got Sheffield to ground back to the circle to end the inning.
Izzy Sloan relieved Butterbaugh to start the sixth inning and after giving up a lead off single and a two out walk, struck out Johnson in an eight pitch at bat to end the frame.
Blackmon led off the bottom of the seventh for the Jennies with an infield single. Cydney Fullerton popped up to third and with Blackmon trying to steal second, Flewelling was able to double her off at first base. Sheffield then flew out to center as ESU completed the double header sweep.
Avery Brewer went two for four with two home runs and six RBI.
Taryn Burkhardt and
Ally Miller each went three for four with two runs scored and an RBI each.
Hannah Butterbaugh picked up the win allowing two runs on five hits in 3.2 innings while
Izzy Sloan tossed 2.0 shutout innings for her fourth save of the season.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will play their final regular season games of the year on Saturday when they play host to Washburn. Game one of the Senior Day Turnpike Tussle is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Trusler Sports Complex. Senior Day ceremonies will take place between games of the double header.
NOTES
Izzy Sloan's fourth save moves her into a tie with Megan Dennis (2009), Kelly Silvey (1997) and Brenda Stole (1980) for second on the Emporia State single season list.
