#21 Hornets sweep Southen

Kellen Jenkins / The Bulletin

Junior catcher Aubree Brattin swings away against Missouri Southern in a double header Tuesday afternoon at Turnbull Field. Hornets overtook the Lions with a 3-0 win in the first game and a 9-0 win in the second.

For the Emporia State women’s softball team, the spring couldn’t be better. Warm air, breezy days, and a firm grip atop the MIAA standings list. In conference play, the Hornets own a 7-1 record, and overall are 28-13. The latest MIAA opponent to feel the strength of the #21 Hornets play was the Missouri Southern Lions, who played ESU at Trusler Sports Complex in a double header on Tuesday afternoon. The Hornets defeated the Lions, 3-0 and 9-0. The second game was ended early due to a run rule.

The story of the first game was senior pitcher Samantha Sheeley, who pitched the first no-hitter by a Hornet since she did it last year in the MIAA tournament. Sheeley ended with 10 strikeouts in the game, one of several double-digit strikeout performances she has given this year. Even with four walks on the night, Sheeley and her field of Hornets only allowed one Lion to reach second base in the first game.

The game was tight until the fourth inning of play, when the Hornets suddenly came out to play. Freshman Abby Smith, sophomore Linda Ketter, and junior Aubree Brattin each had an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning. After that offensive outburst, the Hornets finished out the game with solid defense and superior pitching to come away with the victory.

The night-cap went smoothly for the Hornets, and junior Jennifer Dace ended the game early with a walk-off grand slam in the fifth inning. That long ball into the stiff wind put the Hornets up by nine, which invoked the run rule on the Lions.

The Hornets put up runs in just two of the five innings, but both were strong offensive shows. In the first inning, the Hornets crossed the plate four times, with senior April Huddleston’s two RBI double leading the scoring off. Junior pitcher Megan Dennis had three strikeouts and gave up just two hits on the night while leading the Hornets to another shut out. In the fifth inning, Ketter had another RBI single before Dace came up to the plate with the bases full. Dace then launched her eighth home run of the season and 40-43rd RBIs in one shot. With just one out in the inning, the game was called.

In light of her team’s dominant performance, Sheeley said that she just wanted to stay focused on the “one game at a time” strategy.

“We are playing well, but we need to stay ready,” Sheeley said. “We’re always playing someone who could beat us, and we’ve got to be ready to really play well if we need to.”

The Hornets will travel to Kirksville, Mo. on Friday evening to take on the Truman State Bulldogs in an afternoon double header. Then on Saturday the Hornets will face the team just below them in both the MIAA standings and the North Central regional, the Central Missouri Jennies in Warrensburg. The first game in Warrensburg is scheduled for 12 p.m.