SHAWNEE — Jenna Potter didn’t get a chance to win the game for the Emporia State Hornets in the sixth inning.
No matter. The junior’s game-winning home run turned out to be more dramatic a little later anyway.
With the game tied in the top of the eighth, Potter blasted a two-out, two-run home run over the wall in center field, helping ESU to a 6-4 extra-innings victory over Northwest Missouri State in the winner’s bracket finals of the MIAA Tournament.
“She was due,” ESU pitcher Samantha Sheeley said, “and it was definitely meant for her to do it.”
Especially after Potter didn’t get her scheduled at-bat in the sixth.
With the game tied at four, ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner pulled Potter with one out in the sixth, pinch-hitting Mandi Dennis instead.
After Dennis grounded out, Potter re-entered the game in center field.
“I haven’t exactly been on top of my game the whole season,” Potter said, “but you’ve just got to have confidence in yourself and know that your teammates are going to pick you up if you don’t have the best at-bat.”
Potter became the one who picked up her teammates on Friday.
With a runner on second and two outs in the eighth, Potter had a quick talk with Bredbenner before going to the plate.
The coach’s message was simple: Be ready for the outside pitch, and take the ball back up the middle.
Potter was able to do just that, sending the ball well over the fence in center for her fifth homer of the season.
“I couldn’t even tell you what I was feeling. Mostly just, ‘Oh my goodness,’” Potter said. “I was just running as fast as I could because I wasn’t sure if it was going to go out or not.”
Sheeley recorded the last three outs to secure the win.
Though it wasn’t Sheeley’s best outing of the season, it might have been her best recovery.
The right-hander allowed four runs in the first inning before even recording an out. All four runs came via the home run, as Erin Leslie hit a leadoff shot and Cortney Channell added a three-run homer.
Both homers were to right-center, where they were helped by a strong wind blowing that direction.
“If I give up runs, I just tell myself that’s all they’re going to get,” Sheeley said. “And that’s all they got.”
ESU’s ace retired 24 of the next 29 hitters, going the distance while striking out 11 and walking two.
Northwest managed just three baserunners in the final five innings.
“In tight situations, in pressure situations, I just do better. I got stronger,” Sheeley said. “It’s all legs. Those are the first thing to go. Once I lose my speed, I’ve just got to concentrate on movement and keeping them off balance.”
After trailing 4-1, ESU was able to tie it with lots of help from Shelbe Hughes.
The junior hit a solo home run in the fourth inning — ESU’s first hit — to make it 4-2. Then, after a Miranda Campbell RBI double in the fifth, Hughes followed with a run-scoring single to right that knotted the score.
Potter’s homer broke the tie in the eighth.
Hughes had half of ESU’s hits, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Campbell added a pair of RBI.
With the victory, top-seeded ESU advanced to today’s MIAA Tournament championship game at noon against Central Missouri. An if-necessary game will be played at 2 p.m. if ESU loses.
MIAA Tournament
Friday at Shawnee
Game One
Emporia State 6, NW Missouri 4
No. 12 ESU 100 120 02 — 6 7 0
NWMSU 400 000 00 — 4 6 1
W — Sheeley. L — Morris.
E — NWMSU: Channell. DP — ESU 1. LOB — ESU 7, NWMSU 5. 2B — ESU: Campbell. HR — ESU: Hughes, Potter; NWMSU: Leslie, Channell. HBP — ESU: Dace; NWMSU: Carter. SH — ESU: Mahan, Brattin. SF — ESU: Campbell.
Records — ESU 39-15, NWMSU 31-19.
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