It’s two down, two to go for the Emporia State softball team at the MIAA Tournament in Shawnee.
The Hornets made it a successful Day One on Friday, winning 6-1 against Missouri Southern and 8-0 against Washburn to advance in the winner’s bracket.
The highlight for ESU came in the Game Two, when starter Samantha Sheeley no-hit the Lady Blues in a run-rule shortened game.
“That’s the best she’s pitched all year,” ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “It was against an extremely explosive offensive team, too.”
WU entered the day as the top hitting team in the conference, posting a .325 team batting average.
Sheeley struck out seven and walked just one, as a free pass to Whitney Tapp in the third inning kept her from a perfect game.
“She was ready to go,” Bredbenner said. “She’d had a bad outing against Missouri Western and was looking to bounce back from that. She did a great job and had great composure out there.”
ESU’s offense came to life in the third, as Shelbe Hughes provided a pinch-hit, two-run single to start a four-run inning.
Courtney Stevens added to the fireworks in the fourth, blasting a no-doubt homer to center to make it 5-0. It was the senior’s first home run of the season.
Stevens went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Miranda Campbell added a 2-for-3 effort with two RBI.
In Game One, ESU once again struggled with Missouri Southern — a team that split with the Hornets earlier this week.
The Lions grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a Kayleigh Cecil home run and held the advantage for three full innings.
“We were hitting a lot of balls right to them,” Bredbenner said, “and just not having a whole lot of luck.”
That changed in the bottom of the fifth, as Megan Davison and Jennifer Dace contributed back-to-back doubles to drive in three runs and make the score 3-1.
Dace put the game out of reach in the sixth, knocking a three-run triple to left field to push the advantage to 6-1.
“She came up in the clutch in two different opportunities today and got it done,” Bredbenner said. “The pitcher was throwing her pitches all outside. She just waited and drove it to the left side.”
Dace led ESU with five RBI.
Courtney Reed picked up the win, allowing one run in seven innings while striking out 12.
ESU (44-10) will take on Missouri Western at noon today in Shawnee. The winner will advance to the tournament championship game at 4 p.m. An if-necessary championship game will be played at 6.
MIAA Tournament
Game One
Friday at Shawnee
ESU 6, Missouri Southern 1
Mo. Southern 010 000 0 — 1 3 2
Emporia State 000 033 X — 6 8 0
W — Reed. L — Craig.
E — MS: Godfrey, Craig. LOB — Lions 2, Hornets 9. 2B — ESU: McClernon, Davison, Dace 2. HR — MS: Cecil. HBP — ESU: Huddleston, Davison. SH — MS: Godfrey; ESU: Wiard. SB — MS: Taylor 2; ESU: Viola. CS — ESU: McClernon.
Game Two
ESU 8, Washburn 0
Emporia State 004 13X X — 8 8 0
Washburn 000 00X X — 0 0 3
W — Sheeley. L — Swygert.
E — WU: DeVader, White, Daigh. LOB — Hornets 4, Lady Blues 1. 2B — ESU: Campbell. HR — ESU: Stevens. SH — ESU: Wiard, Dace, Pfautsch. SB — ESU: McClernon.