Junior infielder Miranda Campbell led the hornet offense Tuesday afternoon in a double header against Newman University at the Trusler Sports Complex. Campbell scored two runs with five RBI and a home run in the first game and got two more runs and another RBI in the second. The Hornets won the double header 9-0, 9-2. PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION DEPT.AT ESU
The Emporia State softball team swept a double header at home against Newman University on Tuesday. The Hornets won the first game, getting the run rule in the fifth inning 9-0 and finished off game two 9-2.
Senior Megan Denise threw a perfect game one, only allowing two balls to pop up to the outfield. Of Denise’s 58 throws, she allowed three batters to get three balls.
“I was hitting my spots and I had a goal coming in that I wanted to give away no more than two hits,” Denise said. “I wanted to keep it on our side to let us hit. We did and it was more comforting knowing we had nine runs and even if they did hit it that our defense would make out.”
Offensively, the Hornets dominated game one with junior infielder Miranda Campbell hitting two for two with five RBI. Senior Jill Peters hit a home run to score two.
“I have been hitting and being consistent,” Campbell said. “Hitting wise, I just needed to make contact and hit the ball hard and that was what I needed to focus on. This was a good series to do it because the pitching was perfect to get my swing back.”
In game two, the defense stayed strong as freshman Jennifer Heerey almost pitched a scoreless game, only allowing two runs on four hits in the fifth inning.
On the offensive side, the Hornets were lead by sophomore outfielder Abby Hughes who went two for three with one home run and three RBI. Campbell was three for three with one RBI.
“Offensively we had hit balls right at them and we weren’t getting them into the gaps,” said head coach Kristi Bredbenner. “We didn’t stress or anything, we just kept having quality at bat and focused on hitting the ball solid.”
According to Bredbenner, defensive improvement has been a factor to the team’s success.
“We have to get better every game and learn from our mistakes and working on fundamentals,” Bredbenner said. “The main focus has been fundamentals, getting the ground balls when we need to and just getting the job done in the game.”
For their next game against the University of Central Missouri, the Hornets are preparing for Megan Leonard, who has pitched eight consecutive shutouts and extended her consecutive scoreless innings string to 76.
“We are going to have to be aggressive when she throws a strike and lay out the rise ball,” Bredbenner said. “We need to go there with a lot of confidence and focus on hitting the ball just like any other day.”
The Hornets view the challenge at bat with optimism.
“I think it will be good for us because it will be a challenge and I think it will make us want to hit her even more just so that we can break that streak,” said sophomore infielder Angela Mahan.
The Hornets are ranked ninth and are 28-11 overall and 10-1 at home.
“It was a great game, a great series and great team work to pull it out,” Peters said.
ESU will play a double-header against UCM at 2 p.m. tomorrow in Trusler Complex.
Doug Irby/The Bulletin
Half-marathon favored climbers.(Sports)
Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO) May 22, 2006 | Rooney, Pat Byline: Pat Rooney, Special to the News Staff writer Clay Latimer contributed to this report.
On your mark . . . get set . . . climb.
That, essentially, was the rallying cry for the participants in the half-marathon at the Colorado Colfax Marathon. this web site boulder running company
While the full marathoners enjoyed a predominantly flat course for the first two-thirds or so of the race after setting out from Aurora, the half-marathoners, who began their 13.1-mile competition at City Park, endured an intensive climb that withered tired knees and made a mockery of pace times.
“From the start to mile 2 to mile 4, it was a gradual downhill, but after that it was all uphill,” said 40-year old Monument resident Mike Wasson, who finished second in the half-marathon.
“It was nothing real steep, but it was real gradual and steady. It was a grind.” Wasson finished almost 7 minutes behind half-marathon winner David Kirui of Kenya. Fort Collins resident Alyssa Shaw won the women’s half-marathon in 1 hour, 29 minutes, 15 seconds, finishing 56 seconds ahead of runner-up Tanya Poel of Boulder.
While other runners faltered on the late incline, Shaw was happy to use it to her advantage.
“It definitely was a grind and there was a headwind, but it was kind of warm, so it balanced out nicely,” Shaw said. “I think I like the hill. I actually was in second place until about mile 11. That’s when it started getting hilly, and the hills helped me out.” FINAL TALLY: Officially, 5,081 people participated in the inaugural event, exceeding the goal initially set by event organizers.
Among that total were 385 relay teams comprised of 1,925 runners. The half-marathon featured 2,189 competitors while the full marathon drew 967 runners.
TEAM HONORS: The Colorado Colfax Marathon also hosted the USA Track and Field Club Relay Marathon Championships.
On the men’s side, the Boulder -Express A team, anchored by former University of Colorado runner Clint Wells, took the top prize, finishing in 2:13:43. A team from Raleigh, N.C., took the women’s team relay race.
The top teams earned $5,000 in prize money, followed by $4,000 for the runner-ups and $3,000 for the third-place finishers.
Anchor Wells was the hero for Boulder Express. see here boulder running company
Starting 20 meters behind Boulder Running Company, the former University of Colorado star closed the gap within two miles, then won going away.
“I was really confident I would catch up,” he said.
With $30,000 at stake, the relay attracted clubs from across the nation.
COURAGEOUS COMPETITORS: Sunday’s field included five athletes from the the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, including Joe Aukward, 45, who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 6.
Also running was Renn Bailey, 17, who became blind at 9 when he fell from a tree and shattered his forehead, snapping the optical nerve. He started running competitively at age 12 and currently runs for his high school team in New Mexico.
One of their guides was John Reynolds, 11, a student at Littleton Academy.
“John was painting the picture, telling us about the most important information. It’s kind of cryptic, short stuff, like ‘curb,’ ‘turn,’ ” Aukward said.
“He did a good job.” Rooney, Pat
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