The Emporia State softball team opened MIAA play with a sweep of #18 Rogers State at the Trusler Sports Complex on Friday. The Lady Hornets opened the day with a 3-1 win in eight innings. Both pitching staffs dominated and RSU broke the tie in the eighth, but Avery Brewer lashed a three-run homer to left field to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. She said she was ready for a pitch away from her left-handed swing.
Hannah Butterbaugh (8-1) pitched a gem with a complete-game eight-inning win surrendering just one run and six hits.
E-State pounced early with a six-run first inning and never looked back in game two on the way to a 10-4 victory. RSU scored twice in the top of the first before the Black & Gold ripped the Rogers State starter for three quick hits following a Hillcat error. The Big Gold went on to post six hits in the inning highlighted by Brooke Flewelling’s 10th home run of the year. ESU tacked on with back-to-back Brynley Smith RBIs as she drove in a run in the second on a single and two more on a double in the fourth. Smith finished 3-for-4 with three RBI’s while Taryn Burkhardt also went 3-for-4 with three runs. Addison Calloway matched the stat line with two runs. The teams traded a run in the fifth and sixth and the Red & Navy tacked on one more in the seventh but couldn’t make it interesting. Head coach Megan Hill said ESU still has plenty to work on but that the Top 25 sweep was a welcome start to league play.
Morgan Tomlinson (2-1) pitched 3.1 innings of relief to pick up the win giving up just one run on three hits. ESU (15-6, 2-0 MIAA) looks to continue its four-game winning streak with a doubleheader Saturday against Northeastern State. First pitch is set for noon.
