HOUSTON — Jennifer Dace has often said that Emporia State’s good hitting is contagious.
Unfortunately for the Hornets, the struggles against Humboldt State’s Lizzy Prescott spread just as quickly on Thursday.
The first-team All-American lived up to her reputation, throwing a one-hit shutout as Humboldt State took a 3-0 victory over Emporia State in the second round of the College World Series.
It was just the third time the Hornets had been shut out all year and the first time they had been one-hit since 2005.
“She spotted the ball really well and threw it on the corners,” the Hornets’ Jessie Wiard said. “She just kind of threw us off balance. We really didn’t get good cuts.”
After throwing 10 innings on Wednesday in HSU’s 2-1 victory over Lock Haven, Prescott was even better against the Hornets on Thursday.
The three-time All-American struck out nine batters and allowed just one baserunner.
Even Emporia State’s lone hit wasn’t all that pretty. Wiard managed to break up the no-hitter with a bloop single to center to start the fourth.
Prescott stranded her there, getting Angela Mahan to pop up a bunt before Dace struck out and Miranda Campbell popped out to first.
“We just didn’t adjust, and we got a little anxious,” Dace said. “We wanted to do it with one swing, and you can’t do it that way.”
The Hornets’ biggest challenge was trying to hit Prescott’s nasty riseball.
After getting ahead in the count, the senior was able to consistently get ESU hitters to chase pitches up in the zone.
Most of ESU’s strikeouts came on late-breaking riseballs.
“It got all of us,” Dace said. “Some of us could foul it off, but there’s not a good chance you’re getting on top of that.”
“She got ahead early,” Emporia State coach Kristi Bredbenner added, “then when she threw junk, she was successful.”
Humboldt State got all the offense it would need in a three-run fourth inning.
Caitlin Klug and first-team All-American Natalie Galletly started with consecutive doubles to score the first run, and Marissa Slattery followed by reaching on a bunt single when Dace missed her on an attempted sweep tag.
Francesca West chipped in an RBI single to left, and later, Chrissy Motzny’s soft hit to center scored Slattery to make it 3-0.
All three runs were charged to Samantha Sheeley, who took the loss after winning her previous 16 decisions.
Prescott improved to 46-11 with the win. She has started 54 of HSU’s 73 games this season.
The Hornets must now win three consecutive games over the next two days to advance to the championship game.
Emporia State was to face Francis Marion at 10 this morning. If the Hornets win, they will play St. Edward’s at 3 p.m.
Interestingly, ESU started the same way at the College World Series in 2006 — with a win, then a loss.
After that, the Hornets won three straight games to advance to the championship before falling to Lock Haven, 3-0.
College World Series
Second Round
Thursday at Houston
Humboldt State 3, Emporia State 0
ESU 000 000 0 — 0 1 0
Humboldt State 000 300 X — 3 7 0
W — Prescott. L — Sheeley.
LOB — ESU 1, HSU 4. 2B — HSU: Klug, Galletly 2. SH — Klug, Oltjenbruns.
Time — 1:17. Att — 508.
Records — ESU 45-16, HSU 55-18.
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