The Emporia State Hornets were fooled once by pitcher Julie Vancura.
On Saturday, they made sure it didn’t happen twice.
Using a better approach at the plate, ESU posted 15 hits in its 12-4 run-rule victory over Minnesota State-Moorhead on Saturday.
Six runs and 10 hits came in the first four innings against Vancura, who had shut down the Hornets’ bats in MSU-Moorhead’s 2-1 victory on Friday.
“I can’t tell you how many times we just grounded out yesterday because we were getting jammed on the inside pitch the whole time,” ESU senior Jennifer Dace said. “We realized that we were doing it, but we didn’t really make the adjustment. Today, we totally did.”
ESU’s biggest adaptation was anticipating the inside pitches from Vancura.
After consistently throwing on the inside edge Friday, Vancura was hit harder on Saturday by a team expecting those same pitches.
It all started in the first inning with Dace.
With ESU behind 2-0, Dace blasted a two-out, two-run homer well over the wall in right center.
“If she went outside, I wasn’t going to hit it until I had two strikes on me,” Dace said. “I was just looking for the inside pitch, and I just stayed on it and hit the crap out of it.”
ESU fell behind again 4-3 before an offensive outburst in the fifth.
Jessie Wiard, Angela Mahan and Dace led off with hits, and Linda Ketter and Mahan later contributed two-RBI singles in an eight-run inning.
The Hornets, who had six hits in the frame and took advantage of four MSU-Moorhead errors, knocked Vancura out of the game and suddenly found themselves up 11-4.
“I think we were a lot more aggressive with this pitcher,” Wiard said, “and that’s important because she throws some good two-strike pitches.”
ESU (21-12) ended the game early in the sixth, as Aubree Brattin delivered an RBI single to score Miranda Campbell and enforce the run rule.
Megan Dennis picked up the victory in relief of Samantha Sheeley. Dennis allowed no runs in 3 1/3 innings while striking out three.
Wiard was the Hornets’ most productive hitter, as she went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two stolen bases.
The senior has seen an increase in line drives this season after being primarily used as a bunter last year.
“She worked an unbelievable amount in the summer, just focusing on being a little bit more versatile,” ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “She was sick and tired of everyone squeezing her in and playing her in the inside of the infield. She’s worked hard to be able to get her bat through the ball a little more.”
Mahan, Dace, Brattin and Campbell all added two hits apiece.
Saturday at Trusler
Emporia State 12, MSU-Moorhead 4
MSU-Moorhead 202 000 X — 4 6 4
No. 19 ESU 200 181 X — 12 15 0
Note: Two outs, two runners LOB when game ended
W — Me. Dennis. L — Vancura.
E — MSUM: Saylor, West 3. DP — MSUM 1. LOB — MSUM 9, ESU 6. 2B — ESU: Hughes, Ketter. 3B — ESU: Campbell. HR — ESU: Dace. HBP — ESU: Hughes, Potter. SH — ESU: Mahan, Hughes, Potter. SB — ESU: Wiard 2, Smith, Bergley, Brattin.