It’s tough to explain how last season’s national runner-up and four-time defending MIAA champion has gotten lost in the mix. But for the Emporia State softball team, that’s the feeling.
The Hornets are ranked 10th in the South Central Regional poll, and if the postseason started today, they would be left out. They’re also in fourth place in the conference standings, only one game back of second place, but still, they feel as though they’re getting slighted.
Today against Central Missouri (28-8, 12-0 MIAA), the Hornets have a chance to fight for the recognition they feel they deserve and make a push for their fifth straight conference title.
“Everybody’s excited and ready to play them,” ESU senior pitcher Megan Dennis said. “Because the whole year all we’ve heard is Central, Central and UNO, and we want Emporia to be the school.”
For the Hornets to be ‘the school’ obviously a sweep of Central Missouri would help. But more important than anything, Emporia State (28-11, 7-3 MIAA) needs the sweep to have a chance at eclipsing the Jennies in the standings at some point this year.
“They’re 10-0 and we obviously want to break their winning streak that they’ve got going,” ESU center fielder Jenna Potter said. “If we win the conference, it’ll be the fifth year in a row. If we see Central win it, we’re obviously going to be really disappointed.”
To sweep the Jennies, that would mean the Hornets would have to knock off UCM star pitcher Megan Lenard, and that’s has been a tough chore this year.
Lenard is 14-1, has pitched 10 shutouts, given up zero home runs and has had only seven runs (six earned) scored against her all season.
In 106.1 innings, Lenard has 195 strikeouts. To put that in perspective, Fort Hays State’s Kayla Rupa is second in the conference with 161 strikeouts, and Rupa has needed 178 innings to amass her total.
Lenard is left-handed, and has a wide array of pitches that she uses to fool hitters. She throws a rise ball and also has a backdoor curve ball that comes in on the hitter’s hands.
Last season, the Hornets scored six runs in 10 2/3 innings against Lenard in two regular season games, both losses for Lenard. In the MIAA tournament, Lenard pitched 12 shutout innings against the Hornets, striking out 14 and getting a no decision in a 4-0 ESU victory.
This week the Hornets have been working on a strategy for how they will attack Lenard, hoping to duplicate the success they had against her during the regular season in 2008.
“We pretty much have the same team as last year, so we all know what she brings,” ESU third baseman Miranda Campbell said. “She gets ahead early and brings you junk, mainly up stuff. Going in this weekend, I think we’ve got to be aggressive at the plate, try not to get behind as much, go with the pitches, and we should be fine.”
The Hornets have to feel more confident with being able to throw a pitcher against Lenard who has been just as effective as of late.
Megan Dennis is coming off a five-inning perfect game and has thrown two straight shutouts. Dennis works much differently than Lenard, often depending more on her defense. In her perfect game on Tuesday against Newman, she had only two strikeouts.
The senior pitcher knows she has to be just as dominant today and is looking forward to the challenge.
“I am excited,” Dennis said. “I know that I can pitch well. She’s going to pitch well. We just have to get the bats going and play defense like we did (Tuesday).”