Last Friday and Saturday the Emporia State softball team competed in the Abilene Christian University Tournament in Abilene, Texas. The Hornets competed against four teams and won three of the four games, only to be defeated by Southeastern Oklahoma 1-0.
The Hornets finished off last year’s season with a record of 48-17, raking 25th in the NFCA Division II preseason.
The Hornets had a total of 28 hits Saturday aiding in their defeat of St. Mary’s and Northeastern Oklahoma State. The Hornets had a total of 16 hits, eight of which resulted in a score, defeating St. Mary’s 8-5. The Hornets also defeated NE OSU 7-2, with a total of 12 hits, seven of which resulted in a score.
Kristi Bredbenner is now on her third year as head coach for Emporia and was the 2007 MIAA softball coach of the year. Bredbenner lead the Hornets to their third straight MIAA regular season and fourth straight conference title in her first two years as coach.
“The top 25 provides good publicity for the team but is not very accurate until towards the end of the year,” Bredbenner said. “When it comes down to it, we’re taking it one game at a time. You never know how good you are going to be until you get towards the end of the season.”
Miranda Campbell, junior infielder, played in both the St. Mary’s and NE OSU games. Campbell said that she is looking forward to a great season.
Even though the team is ranked 25, they have set out to prove they deserve a higher ranking and are hoping to prove that by the end of the season.
Although individual effort is vital in softball, working as a team is what wins games. Being close and being able to read one’s teammates can prevent a lot of miscommunication between players.
“Any time we get runners in scoring position we are trying to get them in,” Bredbenner said. “It is all about execution and playing fundamental softball.”
Megan Dennis, senior pitcher, played a vital role in the ACU tournament pitching during the St. Mary’s game. Dennis pitched all seven innings to pick up the win, but encountered some difficulties when pitching.
“We had a hard time warming up, hard time getting our hands warm to grip the ball,” Dennis said. “I think over all… we knew we could win but we did not know the cold would be such a factor on the game.”
In preparation for the game, Dennis spent time watching videos of the teams they would be playing in order become familiar with their opponents.
When considering the team, Bredbenner agreed that the team is excelling past her expectations.
“I think that the most important thing is to be confident and be prepared,” Bredbenner said. “Past success makes confidence and a confident player is going to be successful (and) we are getting better. We are really hitting the ball well which has been the reason for our success right now is that we’re scoring a lot of runs.”
The Hornets will be competing next in the Southeastern Oklahoma Tournament Feb. 20-22. The tournament will consist of 18 teams and will be held in Durant, Okla.
Cody Grauberger/The Bulletin
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