Emporia State pitchers Megan Dennis and Jennifer Heerey carried Emporia State to a sweep of Rockhurst on Wednesday.
The Hornets won 2-1 and 1-0 with both pitchers throwing complete games.
Dennis (9-3) gave up one run on three hits over seven innings. She had seven strikeouts. The ESU offense provided just enough for Dennis to win her seventh straight start.
Aubree Brattin walked with the bases loaded in the sixth inning for the Hornets first run. Jennifer Dace drove in the second run in the sixth on a ground out.
Rockhurst scored its run in the sixth. Rockhurst had a chance to tie the game or take the lead with the bases loaded in the sixth, but Dennis got out of the jam by forcing Katie Robinson to ground out to end the inning.
Dennis struck out two of the three Rockhurst batters in the seventh to close the game.
Heerey (10-5) threw her second straight complete game shutout in the finale. Heerey threw a two-hitter, faced just two over the minimum and had six strikeouts. She has not allowed a run in 18 straight innings.
Emporia State scored its only run in the third inning. Jenna Potter opened the inning by getting on base after being hit by a pitch. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, reached third on a ground out, and scored on Angela Mahan’s single.
Emporia State has won eight straight and 12 of its last 14. The Hornets open MIAA play on Friday at Nebraska-Omaha.
ESU drops one spot in regional rankings
Emporia State dropped one spot in the latest NCAA Division II South Central Regional Rankings after not playing a game last week.
The Hornets will have a chance to move up over the next two weeks with games against regional Nebraska-Omaha, No. 6 in the regional rankings, and No. 7 Missouri Western.
South Central Region
1. Angelo State (31-4, 30-4)
2. Southeastern Oklahoma State (38-6, 37-6)
3. Abilene Christian (30-9, 29-9)
4. Midwestern State (22-10, 22-10)
5. West Texas A&M (25-13, 25-13)
6. Nebraska-Omaha (21-5, 17-4)
7. Missouri Western State (25-4, 18-4)
8. Central Missouri (13-7, 8-5)
9. Emporia State (17-8, 14-8)
10. Texas A&M-Kingsville (22-15, 22-15)