NORTH MANKATO, Minn. — A line drive to the shortstop ended things — twice — for the Emporia State softball team in the North Central Regional championship game against Nebraska-Omaha on Sunday.
The final one — a screamer by ESU’s Jennifer Dace with two outs in the bottom of the seventh — was caught by Brooke Wagner to put the final touch on Nebraska-Omaha’s 5-3 victory, which sent the Mavericks to the Division-II World Series in Akron, Ohio.
ESU ended its season with a 50-12 record.
“We don’t have anything to hang our heads over,” ESU senior Morgan Viola said. “We gave everything we had. It’s gotta end sometime, and it’s always tough when it does.”
Though Dace’s liner ended it officially in the seventh, it was Viola’s hard smash that provided the emotional blow for ESU in the fifth.
The Hornets, who put themselves in a 4-0 hole after the second inning, rallied to make it 4-3 and had runners on second and third with none out.
Needing just a run to tie it, Dace grounded out to the pitcher and Miranda Campbell popped up to third baseman Leslie Svoboda. Viola followed with a battle against UNO pitcher Cheris Kuster. After falling behind 0-2, Viola fouled off five pitches to stay alive.
“It was probably the best at-bat of my life,” Viola said.
It ended with a hard line drive toward left field — one that was caught by Wagner before it could make the outfield grass.
“We couldn’t push that run in,” ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “That was a big chance. It gave their pitcher confidence.
“Those were three big outs.”
ESU failed to score after that.
The Hornets did bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh after Jessie Wiard led off the inning with an infield single.
The heart of the order couldn’t get anything going, though, as a groundout from April Huddleston and strikeout from Megan Davison preceded Dace’s lineout to short.
“We did think we could still do it, even going into the seventh,” Davison said. “Things just didn’t fall our way.”
Samantha Sheeley took the loss for ESU, giving up four earned runs in the first 1 1/3 innings.
UNO posted four hits in its four-run second inning, building a 4-0 lead and chasing Sheeley from the game. Courtney Reed replaced her, allowing a single run over the final 4 2/3 innings.
Seven different Hornets had hits in the loss.
It marked the final game for six ESU seniors: Davison, Viola, Reed, Chelsea McClernon, Laura Pfautsch and Courtney Stevens. They won four conference tournament championships, three regular-season championships and advanced to the Regional tournament four times during their years at ESU.
“It’s a great group of girls,” Viola said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“It’s been amazing playing with them — the best experience of my life,” Davison said. “We left our mark. I just hope the girls that are still playing can keep the tradition going.”
ESU 4, Southwest
Minnesota 0
In the first game of the day, the winds changed — literally — for the Emporia State softball team against Southwest Minnesota State pitcher Amanda Johnson.
After scoring just one run against Johnson in Friday’s 11-inning loss, the Hornets used a gusting wind to help with three home runs in a 4-0 victory over the Mustangs.
ESU did its damage early, scoring all its runs in the first two innings.
Huddleston started the power in the bottom of the first, blasting a low liner over the wall in left-center for a two-run homer to make it 2-0. Davison made it back-to-back shots, as the wind pushed her high flyball to left over the fence for a historic homer.
The solo shot — Davison’s 52nd of her career — gave her the new MIAA record. The previous mark was held by Truman’s Elizabeth Economon, who had 51.
McClernon added her second home run in as many days, knocking the ball over the wall in the second inning to extend the ESU advantage to 4-0.
Reed picked up her 29th win, pitching a complete-game shutout, which was even more impressive considering the blustery conditions. Reed allowed three hits, walked none and struck out 11.
Huddleston and McClernon led ESU with two hits apiece.
North Central Regional
First Championship Game
Sunday at North Mankato, Minn.
UNO 5, ESU 3
Emporia State 002 010 0 — 3 7 0
Nebraska-Omaha 040 010 X — 5 9 3
W — Negrete. L — Sheeley. Sv — Kuster.
E — UNO: Svoboda; Wagner; Cataudella. DP — ESU 1. LOB — ESU 8; UNO 8. 2B — ESU: Dace; Viola; UNO: Jergenson; Sortino. SH — ESU: Wiard; Campbell; Stevens; UNO: Kramolisch; Sortino; Yates; Reaves.
Elimination Bracket Championship
ESU 4, SMSU 0
SW Minnesota State 000 000 0 — 0 3 0
Emporia State 310 000 X — 4 7 0
W — Reed. L — Johnson.
LOB — SMSU 3; ESU 3. 2B — SMSU: Donoho. HR — ESU: McClernon; Huddleston; Davison.
Losers Bracket
Saturday at North Mankato, Minn.
ESU 4, MWSU 0
Emporia State 003 010 0 — 4 6 0
Missouri Western 000 000 0 — 0 1 0
W — Reed. L — Predovich.
LOB — ESU 11; MWSU 4. HBP — ESU: Davison; Stevens; MWSU: Foor. SH — MWSU: Jadlowski. SB — MWSU: Nocita. CS — ESU: Wiard.
ESU 6, MSU-Mankato 0
Minnesota State 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
Emporia State 000 033 X — 6 9 0
W — Sheeley. L — Rohr.
E — MSU-M: Jay. DP — MSU 2. LOB — MSU 3; ESU 4. 2B — ESU: Reed; MSU-M: Wagner. HR — ESU: McClernon. HBP — ESU: Huddleston. SH — ESU: Wiard; Stevens. SB — ESU: Pfautsch.