The Emporia State softball team swept a double-header against Truman State last Tuesday, winning game one with a score of 9-3 and game two with a score of 12-2.
In game one, the Hornets took the lead early when sophomore Angela Mahan drove two runners in, putting ESU up 2-0 in the first inning.
Truman did not go quietly, scoring on an unearned run in the second inning and a home run by Dani Mayer at the top of the fourth inning.
ESU capitalized at bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring six runs to put the score to 9-2.
The Hornets attempted to score one more to run rule and the Bulldogs would score only one more at the top of the seventh.
ESU senior Aubree Brattin ran in a score and went 2-3 at bat with four RBI. Junior Miranda Campbell ran in two scores and went 1-1 with one RBI. Mahan also ran in two scores and went 2-3 at bat.
On the defensive side, senior pitcher Megan Dennis led the Hornets on the mound. Dennis struck out six and did not allow any walks.
In game two, ESU would continue to get the lead early. Mahan and Campbell both ran in to score in the first inning.
In the second inning, Mahan hit her second home run of the year to score two more for the Hornets, making the score 4-0.
The Hornets scored two more in the fourth inning and shut down Truman on defense the entire game, only allowing the Bulldogs to score two runs in the top of the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, ESU scored eight runs to get the run rule to win the game. Manley hit a two run homer, sophomore Abby Hughes hit two runners in, sophomore Abby Smith scored on a fielder’s choice and junior Jenna Potter would finish the game with a home run hit to the left wall to score three, bringing the score to 12-2.
Leading ESU on the mound in game two, freshman pitcher Jennifer Heerey got three to strike out and only allowed two runs on six hits.
“I think my defense does a great job of backing me up,” Heerey said. “Hitting my spots and my changeups has been working a lot better lately to throw the batters off balance.”
According to Heerey, having a strong offense has helped on defense.
“I think we have just come together as a team and we have gotten hits when we needed them,” Heerey said. “They have put base hits together and when they run they game it is really nice for the pitcher to be out there on the mound and be up by that much.”
Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner said that, with conference play getting closer, the Hornets need to continue to get important wins.
“It is going to be a tough conference this year and it is going to come down to who loses the games they should have won,” Bredbenner said. “We are going to have Central and Missouri Western here which is nice but we just got to keep focusing one game at a time and beat the teams we need to beat and take it to Missouri Southern.”
According to Bredbenner, the team’s strength at bat will help capture more wins.
“Right now we are just focusing on hitting the ball up the middle and making power contact with the ball,” Bredbenner said. “We have to be able to adjust our hitting style a little bit to the pitching style. When it is slow and low we have to make sure to wait and stay low through the ball and when it is a little quicker we have to have quicker hands and get our barrel through.”
On the defensive end, Bredbenner said pitching with more experience is key to shutting down other teams at bat.
“Our pitchers have been learning from their mistakes,” she said. “Granted, we are still making some here and there, but they are fine tuning a little more and not having as many of them.”
With the next game away against Missouri Southern, Bredbenner said the team needs to focus.
“Missouri Southern right now has won more games than they did all last year already,” she said. “They are a team no one can look past and I think a couple people have and it has come back to bite them a little bit.”
The Hornets are now 24-9 in regular season play and are 5-1 in the MIAA. They will play at 2 p.m. Saturday in Joplin, Mo.
Doug Irby/The Bulletin
Loading ...
