WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 15, 2017) - The offense came to life for Central Missouri Softball in their sweep of MIAA foe, Emporia State on Military Appreciation Day. The Jens scored 19 runs and launched four home runs, two each from
Aubrey Daniel and
Courtni Smith, as they inch closer to .500 now with a 23-24 record and 13-9 in the MIAA.
Game One: Central Missouri 11, Emporia State 3 - 5 innings
The Jennies had a tall task ahead of them, taking on Lady Hornet starting pitcher Eryn Stockman. She entered the weekend fourth in the MIAA in ERA and second in wins.
Stockman was staked to an early 2-0 lead, as ESU took advantage of three UCM first inning errors to score two runs. She worked a scoreless bottom of the first, but the Jennies bats took over in the second. Smith led off the inning with a double and scored on Stockman's throwing error to cut the lead in half. Daniel then gave the Jennies their first lead, 3-2, with her first career home run over the right-centerfield fence.
The Lady Hornets evened things up with a home run of their own in the third, but the Jens went ahead for the good in the home half of the inning, sending nine batters to plate, scoring five runs on six hits. The Jens got three straight run-scoring hits from
Lauren Mabe, Smith and
Carlie Rose. Daniel capped the inning and knocked Stockman out of the game with an RBI single.
Daniel wasn't finished though. In the fifth inning, she lifted another opposite field shot to right-center for her second home run of the game. Two batters later,
Jordan Johnson singled home
Allie Dishinger with the game-ending run.
Daniel finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs and a career-high five RBI. Every Jennie starter reached base at least once with eight collecting at least one hit. In 24 official at bats, the Jennies knocked 12 hits. Smith and Rose each had two hits. Mabe went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Alexa Bradley was the beneficiary of all of the offense. She pitched all five innings allowing three runs (one earned) on just four hits with two walks and three strikeouts to earn her 10th win of the season.
Stockman and reliever Danielle Sprinkle each threw 2.1 innings. Stockman gave up eight runs (six earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts. Sprinkle allowed three runs to score on four hits. Annelise Rockley picked up two of the Lady Hornets four hits going 2-for-3 with a home run.
Game Two: Central Missouri 8, Emporia State 3
Katie Giacone gave up two first inning runs but was nearly untouchable the rest of the way. For the second straight game the Jens offense got to Stockman, scoring four runs in both the third and fifth innings, punctuated by two three-run home runs from Smith.
Smith's first homer came in the third after Mabe singed home
Makayla Schoonover. Like Daniel, Smith too showed some opposite field power, giving the Jens the lead for good clearing the left-centerfield fence.
It was the same story in the fifth inning. Mabe reached base to drive in a run and Smith put the 3-2 pitch over the fence in centerfield, giving the Jens an 8-2 lead.
Giacone did the rest of the work. She kept the Lady Hornets off of the board until the seventh when they got a run on an RBI double from Jacie Stephens. With the win, Giacone goes to 9-7. She pitched all seven innings giving up three runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Smith finished the day with a career-best six RBI, going 2-for-3. Schoonover and Dishinger also picked up two hits apiece and Schoonover stole two more bases. Mabe had another 1-for-3 game with two runs scored and two RBI.
Stockman went a little deeper into game two, pitching 4.1 innings, but gave up eight runs for the second straight game, on seven hits with a walk and two punchouts. Sprinkle threw 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. Rockley knocked two hits again for the Lady Hornets with a run scored. Stephens filled the box score with a hit, walk, run and RBI.
The Jens will play their final nonconference game Monday, April 17th against William Jewell. It is the first of three home doubleheaders next week. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Jennies Field.
