Emporia State Softball Splits Doubleheader with Missouri Western
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Emporia State softball team (25-14, 10-12 MIAA) faced off against the Missouri Western Griffons (25-16, 8-12 MIAA) in a doubleheader on Sunday. The game saw both teams showcase their strengths and weaknesses, ultimately resulting in a split.
In Game 1, the Lady Hornets started strong. Ally Miller opened the scoring with a double to left field, allowing Addison Callaway to cross home plate. This gave Emporia State an early 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Holton’s Brooke Flewelling hit a sac fly that brought in Taryn Burkhardt from Silver Lake, extending the lead to 2-0.
Missouri Western responded in the fifth inning with an RBI single, cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, the Lady Hornets quickly retaliated. Sydney Wagner drove in Elina Bartlett with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame, tying the game at 2-2. The Griffons then took the lead with a two-RBI double from Lauren Newlin, making the score 3-3.
Burkhardt continued her impact in the sixth inning by laying down a clean bunt that allowed Juliana De Luna to score. Wagner followed up with a groundout to first base, which enabled Leslie Ramos to score and give the Lady Hornets a 5-3 lead. Missouri Western attempted to close the gap in the top of the seventh, but they fell just short, as the final score was 5-4 in favor of Emporia State.
Game 2 saw a shift in momentum as the Griffons took control. Missouri Western struck first with an RBI single in the top of the first, taking a 1-0 lead. They extended their advantage in the third inning with another RBI double and added three more runs in the fourth inning through two more doubles.
Emporia State managed to get on the board in the fifth inning when Avery Brewer hit a solo home run. However, the Griffons dominated the sixth inning, scoring seven runs to take a commanding 12-1 lead. The Lady Hornets were unable to respond in the bottom of the frame, resulting in a split of the doubleheader.
Chloe Wilson started Game 1 and took the loss, pitching one inning while giving up one run on four hits with a strikeout. The Lady Hornets will now travel to Warrensburg, MO for a doubleheader against Central Missouri on Wednesday. The first pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 2 p.m.
For more sports news, keep checking local updates. Stay informed about the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading the mobile app and signing up for news email alerts. Additionally, sign up for the Storm Track Weather app for real-time weather updates.
