The sting of Emporia State’s loss to Nebraska-Omaha in last year’s Regional championship game lingered quite a few months for Samantha Sheeley.
“To end the season like that, you don’t just forget it,” said Sheeley, who gave up four runs in 1 1/3 innings of last year’s game. “It drove me in the offseason to work out, and it’s motivation. I used it.”
A stronger, improved and more determined Sheeley made sure history didn’t repeat itself on Friday, as she led the Hornets to a 1-0 victory over UNO in the second round of the North Central Regionals.
“I don’t think she was happy with her performance in (last year’s) game, and I think she felt like it was a little bit on her head that we lost that one,” ESU coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “ ... She stepped up. She’s a much better pitcher than she was last year, and last year she was a good one.”
On Friday, Sheeley struck out 10, walked just one and managed to keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard despite allowing baserunners in each inning.
Meanwhile, ESU’s offense managed to give Sheeley the only run she needed in the second inning.
Miranda Campbell led off the inning with a double down the right-field line, and April Huddleston followed with a sacrifice bunt.
That brought up Shelbe Hughes, who said she felt uncomfortable in similar situations earlier in the year.
“Something I’ve always struggled with is staying calm and relaxed with runners on,” Hughes said. “It’s definitely something I wanted to personally work on.”
Hughes didn’t let her nerves get in the way this time, as she lined an RBI single into left to score the game’s only run.
ESU held off UNO’s two best scoring opportunities with defense and also clutch pitching from Sheeley.
In the bottom of the second, the Mavericks’ Chelsea Koch hit a two-out line drive down the left-field line looked like it would easily score teammate Lindsey Slocum from third.
Jessie Wiard’s glove saved the shutout, though, as she sprinted to the line and fully extended to make a diving catch.
Sheeley — for the second straight day — made her teammates sweat it out in the bottom of the seventh.
With one out, Alison Jergenson was hit by a pitch, and Ashley Lynch followed with a single to put the tying run on second and the winning run on first.
“I just keep challenging myself,” Sheeley said. “I guess that’s the way I look at it. I try to enjoy the challenge.”
Alli Hukill, who had hit a home run off Sheeley in a previous meeting, struck out for the second out.
That left Sheeley to face Leslie Svoboda, who came into the game leading UNO with a .435 average and also 63 RBI.
“I kind of turned and saw (No.) 16 walking up and I was like, ‘Ugh.’” Sheeley said. “I knew she was going to be swinging hard.”
With the pressure on, Sheeley prevailed, getting Svoboda to pop up to the shortstop Huddleston for the final out.
After the catch, Sheeley threw her glove up in the air in celebration before hugging her teammates.
“I definitely wanted to win this,” Sheeley said. “I obviously would have loved a few more insurance runs, but to come out with such a good game and come out on top, it was definitely a great feeling.”
In 14 combined innings against UNO this year, Sheeley has allowed no runs on eight hits with 16 strikeouts.
Hughes and Campbell contributed two hits each to lead ESU’s offense. Hughes is now 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in the tournament.
With the victory, ESU advanced to play Winona State in the winner’s bracket at 10 this morning. The winner of that game earns a spot in Sunday’s Regional Championship game at 10 a.m.
ESU lost to Winona, 5-2, in the teams’ only meeting this season on March 15.
NCAA North Central Regionals
Friday at Trusler
Emporia State 1, Nebraska-Omaha 0
Emporia State 010 000 0 — 1 7 0
Neb.-Omaha 000 000 0 — 0 6 0
W — Sheeley. L — Haley.
DP — UNO 1. LOB — ESU 5, UNO 9. 2B — ESU: Campbell; UNO: Svoboda. HBP — UNO: Jergenson. SH — ESU: Huddleston; UNO: Yates.
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