Saturday, it was a home run. Sunday, it was a medal.
Lacie Schumann couldn’t help but leave the Class C State Tournament with a smile as the Emporia U-16 Energy placed fourth with a 3-2 record.
“I think it was a good way to end the weekend,” Schumann said, silver medal around her neck. “I didn’t expect to get (a medal).”
Though the U-16 Energy ended their tournament with a 9-1 loss to the Milan Sunflower Sluggers on Sunday morning, they finished with their highest placing at the State tournament in five years.
“It’s pretty exciting to be a part of that,” Schumann said.
The biggest win for Emporia came in the losers bracket Saturday night against a team it knew well — the Haysville Twisted Sisters.
The two teams alternated one-run victories earlier in the season before the Energy’s 4-3 triumph Saturday.
“We have a history with them,” Emporia’s Cassandra Huth said. “It felt really good to beat them.”
Emporia fell behind 1-0 before rallying for three in the bottom of the fifth.
Sam Torres started with a single, and Briana Talkington and Hilary Heinrichs followed with bunt hits to load the bases.
Lauren Kimble walked on a 3-2 pitch to drive in the first run, and Hannah Lynch delivered a two-out, two-RBI single to make it 3-1.
Haysville tied it in the top of the sixth before more Emporia dramatics in the bottom of the frame.
Seven-hole hitter Huth led off for Emporia, entering the plate appearance 0-for-2.
“I was pretty cold the whole game,” Huth said. “It was really frustrating. I knew I had to step up.”
She ended up doing just that, lining a double to right field to put the game-winning run at second base.
“I knew all we needed was a runner — nothing too big,” Huth said. “I just put the ball in play, and it went farther than I expected.”
Lydia Roemer followed by failing to get bunt attempts down on her first two strikes.
No matter. The Emporia right-fielder ended up knocking a two-strike pitch into the same right-center gap, scoring Huth on a walkoff double.
Emporia couldn’t avoid giving up the big inning in its tournament-ending loss Sunday to Milan — a team it had already defeated on Saturday.
The Energy allowed six runs on five hits in the fourth inning, turning a 1-0 Milan lead into a seven-run advantage.
“We lost focus, I guess, in that inning,” Huth said. “It’s tough to come back then.”
“They seemed to catch onto our pitching,” Schumann said, “and really get a hold of the ball.”
It wasn’t the first time in the tournament that a big inning hurt the Energy.
After Emporia won its first game on Saturday — a 6-3 victory over Milan — it fell 9-5 to the Colby Thunder after allowing nine runs in the third inning.
In that frame alone, Emporia committed four errors and also allowed four hits.
The game wasn’t without its highlights, though.
Emporia scored five runs in the bottom of the third, as Katie Weaver, Talkington and Heinrichs started with singles.
Kimble chipped in a sacrifice fly before Schumann provided the fireworks.
The clean-up hitter delivered a hard liner to left-center — one that snuck its way over the top of the temporary fence for a three-run home run.
“It was my first one in a game,” Schumann said. “Earlier I did it at practice. I was hoping to get one out before the season ended.
“I figured that one would be like all the others and roll to the wall. I was amazed when it went over.”
Schumann finished the game 3-for-3 with a homer and double.
Class C State Tournament
Saturday at Emporia
Game One
Emporia 6, Milan 3
Emporia 022 020 X — 6
Milan Sluggers 000 300 X — 3
W — Hannah Lynch.
Game Two
Colby 9, Emporia 5
Colby 009 00X 0 — 9 8 2
Emporia 005 00X X — 5 10 4
W — Logan Wark. L — Briana Talkington.
Game Three
Emporia 4, Haysville 3
Haysville 010 002 X — 3
Emporia 000 031 X — 4
W — Cassandra Huth.
Sunday at Emporia
Game One
Milan 9, Emporia 1
Emporia 000 100 X — 1
Milan 001 601 X — 9
W — Caroline Winter. L — Hilary Heinrichs.