Junior pitcher Morgan Tomlinson tossed a complete game three-hit shutout and No. 4 seed ESU used a big fourth inning to break through and beat No. 5 seed Central Missouri 7-0 in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament at the Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia on Thursday. Tomlinson dominated early retiring the first 11 Jennies of the game, but ESU was shoutout through three innings. The Lady Hornets blew the game open in the fourth scoring five runs with two outs on four hits as UCM committed three errors in the inning. A two-out triple by Elina Bartlett got the offense rolling and ESU added two more in the fifth. Tomlinson (7-2) picked up her second complete game victory of the year, both against the Jens. She said she was dialed in.
Head coach Megan Hill said she and her staff hasn’t been surprised by Tomlinson’s improvement throughout the year.
Bartlett finished 2-for-3 with a game-high three RBI’s while Avery Brewer went 2-for-2. ESU (29-17) hosts top-seed Missouri Southern in the semifinals Friday. ESU will bat first with first pitch scheduled at noon on Mix 104.9.
