All Miranda Campbell could think about was sprinting down the first-base line, just in case.
After lofting a flyball to left field on Wednesday against Pittsburg State, the Emporia State freshman wanted to make sure she could take an extra base if the left-fielder dropped it.
Turned out PSU’s Abby Buche never had a chance to.
Campbell’s fly — against a stiff wind — carried over the left-center field wall for a three-run home run, breaking the second game open in a 9-1 ESU run-rule victory.
The Hornets also won the first game, 12-0, in five innings.
“I didn’t even get all of it,” Campbell said of the home run. “It was a definite surprise. I knew I hit it hard, but I didn’t think it was going out.”
The blast broke open a 1-all tie in the third and allowed the Hornets to take control for their 11th consecutive victory.
Early on, ESU actually faced a scenario that it hadn’t in quite awhile — the Hornets found themselves trailing after PSU scratched across a run in the top of the third to make it 1-0.
“If somebody gets us down one run,” ESU shortstop April Huddleston said, “it makes us want to win that much more.”
The Hornets made sure to hold the advantage once they received it.
Huddleston made a spectacular defensive play in the fourth, ranging to her right to backhand a Lori Lockhart grounder before firing it across to a fully-extended Jennifer Dace at first for the out.
Pitcher Samantha Sheeley also worked out of trouble in the fifth.
PSU loaded the bases with one out, but Sheeley escaped the inning unscathed after getting a force out at home on a grounder and a pop-up to short.
“She made them put the ball in play and made them at least swing the bats,” ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “She tends every now and then to get behind a little bit, and she did a great job of working ahead in that situation.”
The Hornets ended it with a four-run sixth to enforce the run-rule. Huddleston had a two-run single, and Shelbe Hughes scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
ESU dominated the first game by knocking around Gorilla starter Stephanie Moore.
Though the junior entered the game with a 1.97 earned-run average, the Hornets posted 10 hits and 12 runs against her in four innings.
“We had a great offensive performance today. That’s what I was most happy about,” Bredbenner said. “We were aggressive. Everyone was swinging away hard. That’s what I want out of them. We want the girls to get up there every single time and have a good at-bat and give themselves a chance.”
Huddleston provided the only home run of the first game, sending a solo shot to left in the second inning.
“It was a meatball — it was right down the middle,” Huddleston said. “I’ve just been working really hard on trying to keep my weight back and my hands back. I finally did that and just drove it out.”
Even without her best stuff, Courtney Reed was dominant in the circle. She pitched a two-hit shutout in five innings while striking out seven.
“She was a little frustrated out there,” Bredbenner said, “but it just proved that even on her off days, we find ways to get the outs.”
Huddleston went 4-for-7 in the two games with five RBI and three runs scored. She has hit .450 and has posted a seven-game hitting streak since she was moved up in the batting order from the eight-hole to the third position last Friday.
Campbell also went 4-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored.
ESU (29-7, 2-0 MIAA) will play host to Minnesota State-Moorhead at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Wednesday at Emporia
Game One
Pittsburg State 000 00 — 0 2 4
Emporia State 413 4X — 12 10 0
W — Reed. L — Moore.
E — PSU: Coleman; Swartslander; Lockhart; Slayden. LOB — Gorillas 3; Hornets 6. 2B — PSU: Swartslander; Treff; ESU: Dace. 3B — Campbell. HR — ESU: Huddleston. HBP — ESU: Huddleston; Viola. SH — PSU: Roeber; ESU: Wiard; Pfautsch. SB — ESU: McClernon; Wiard.
Game Two
ESU 9, PSU 1 (5 innings)
Pittsburg State 001 000 — 1 4 1
Emporia State 004 104 — 9 12 1
Note: 1 out, 1 runner LOB when the game wnded.
W — Sheeley. L — Brozovich.
E — PSU: Slayden; ESU: McClernon. LOB — Gorillas 5; Hornets 5. 2B — ESU: Viola; Dace. HR — ESU: Campbell. SH — PSU: Treff. SB — PSU: Swartslander