Once Winona State pitcher Chelsey Ewing figured out that the strike zone during Saturday’s game against Emporia State was favoring the inside of the plate, Ewing went inside again and again and again.
Ewing figured out what the Hornets seemingly could not, as ESU did not adjust soon enough to the strike zone of umpire Dan Frezza in time, and Winona State defeated Emporia State, 5-2.
The ESU hitters managed just three hits against Ewing, who went all seven innings and struck out five batters to pick up the victory.
“Obviously, the strike zone was a little bit different than what we were used to, but that pitcher (Ewing) did a great job of keeping on bringing it inside and taking advantage of that,” ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “Our team didn’t make the adjustment. She was just piping it and piping it and piping it in on that inside corner, and finally we started to (adjust) in the sixth and seventh innings, and it was a little late by then.”
ESU did, in fact, close to within two runs late after falling behind 4-0 when Miranda Campbell hit a two-run home run that scored Jessie Wiard to make it 4-2.
Campbell, who had two of Emporia’s three hits on the day, said knowing what Ewing was going to do helped her in what would be her final at bat.
“I knew he (Frezza) was calling inside pitches, so I just said, ‘I’m going to foul them off until I get the one I want,’” Campbell said. “I wasn’t trying to hit a home run. I was just trying to get a base hit.
“I wish it would have got us going, though.”
The long ball did not wake the Hornets (13-10) up out of their slump, though.
Winona State got its second home run of the day when Terra Halron opened the seventh inning with a one-run blast off ESU starter Samantha Sheeley, who went the distance but gave up seven hits while striking out 10 in the losing effort.
“I don’t Sam had one of her best outings, obviously, giving up a couple home runs,” Bredbenner said. “But, I think, overall, today was a mental challenge for our team. We didn’t show up mentally.”
ESU is back in action Wednesday when it travels to Mustang, Okla., to take on Central Oklahoma.
Winona State 5, ESU 2
Saturday at Cannon Field
Winona St. 100 300 1 — 5 7 1
ESU 000 002 0 — 2 3 2
W — Ewing. L — Sheeley
E — WSU: Givens; ESU: Dace, Hughes. LOB — WSU 5, ESU 5. HR — WSU: Halron, Givens; ESU: Campbell. SH — WSU: Maultra. SB — WSU: Wilhelm.