Photo by Adam Vogler
Emporia State’s Miranda Campbell, left, holds Washburn’s Jessie Batres on third during the seventh inning of Thursday’s NCAA Division II North Central Regional Tournament matchup. ESU won, 5-3.
Emporia State’s Angela Mahan positioned herself under the potential game-ending popup. Then, a half-second later, she ran away from it.
ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said she wasn’t worried for a moment.
“I knew someone was going to catch that ball,” Bredbenner said, “because that meant a lot.”
Sure enough, Shelbe Hughes came charging in from right field at the last moment, calling off Mahan and squeezing the final out in top-seeded ESU’s 5-3 victory over eighth-seeded Washburn in the first round of the NCAA North Central Regionals at Trusler.
Much like the final out, ESU’s opening game had more than its fair share of drama.
Most of the excitement came in the bottom of the seventh, as Washburn put together a rally trailing 5-3.
Though Malarie Fellers and Danielle Hodge entered the game with .242 and .158 averages, respectively, both started off the inning with hard singles to left to put the tying runs on base for WU.
“They’re a great lineup,” ESU pitcher Samantha Sheeley said, “and they made adjustments.”
Photo by Adam Vogler
Emporia State’s Shelbe Hughes waits for the pitch during Thursday’s NCAA Division II North Central Regional Tournament matchup against Washburn.
Sheeley was able to do just enough to get herself out of the jam.
The right-hander struck out Ashley Shaffer, then got the Lady Blues’ best hitter, Tish Williams, to fly out to center.
Mandy Tarbutton followed with a single to load the bases, but Sheeley got Brooke DeVader to hit a short popup to right.
Hughes took control of the play to make the catch.
Though it wasn’t a typical outing for Sheeley, it was an effective one nonetheless.
After striking out 19 batters in a 14-inning shutout against Central Missouri on Sunday, Sheeley picked up most of her outs through the air on Thursday.
Fourteen of Washburn’s 21 outs came from flyouts. Sheeley, meanwhile, struck out just four hitters.
The senior allowed eight hits and two earned runs with no walks. It was the third game she had pitched against the Lady Blues this season.
“Sam definitely stepped up,” Bredbenner said. “It’s very difficult. They’re a very good hitting team.
Photo by Adam Vogler
Emporia State’s Samantha Sheeley (9) pitches to Washburn’s Mandy Tarbutton during Thursday’s NCAA Division II North Central Regional Tournament matchup.
“ ... When you face Washburn, you’re always a little bit nervous, because they swing the bats well and they can make things happen.”
ESU’s offense was mostly fueled with help from WU’s fielders.
The Hornets grabbed a 4-0 lead in the second, aided by a pair of errors by WU’s shortstop DeVader.
Miranda Campbell reached first to start the inning on a DeVader fielding miscue, and Shelbe Hughes, Abby Smith and Aubree Brattin contributed consecutive singles to make it 2-0.
“We worked as much as we could all week to hit that outside pitch,” Brattin said, “and to wait on the pitch as much as we could.”
ESU received more help with two outs, as Jessie Wiard’s grounder to short was mishandled by DeVader, allowing both Smith and Brattin to score.
WU also helped ESU with an insurance run in the sixth.
With a runner on second, Brattin hit a routine grounder that went right between Fellers’ legs at second base.
The error allowed Hughes to score to push ESU’s lead to 5-3.
“We beat ourselves,” WU coach Lisa Carey said. “If we make three plays, we go into the bottom of the seventh with a three-run lead.”
Hughes led ESU’s offense, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI. Brattin added two hits, an RBI and a run scored.
The Hornets managed the victory despite getting little production from the top of their order. ESU’s 1-5 hitters combined to go just 1-for-15 (.067).
“We’ve got quite a few people that have been on this stage, but quite a few that haven’t,” Bredbenner said. “I think this first game was a good jitter-burster for us, because we really needed to get the win.”
ESU advances in the winner’s bracket to take on Nebraska-Omaha at 4:30 p.m. today.
The Mavericks eliminated the Hornets from last year’s Regional in Mankato, Minn.
NCAA North Central Regional
Friday at Trusler
Emporia State 5, Washburn 3
Washburn 002 100 0 — 3 8 3
Emporia State 040 001 X — 5 6 1
W — Sheeley. L — Swygert.
E — WU: DeVader 2, Fellers; ESU: Campbell. LOB — WU 6, ESU 5. 3B — WU: Williams. SH — ESU: Huddleston, Smith 2. SB — ESU: Wiard, Bergley.
Time — 1:30. Att — 616.
Records — WU 29-27, ESU 41-15.
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