WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 6, 2019) - It was a thrilling afternoon for Jennies Softball who walked-off with a sweep of Emporia State 4-3, 3-2. Both games went into extra innings and the Jennies got clutch, game-winning RBIs from
Aubrey Daniel and
Taylor Nickel. The sweep moves the Jens to 22-12 this season and 8-2 in the MIAA.
Game 1 - Central Missouri 4, Emporia State 3 - 9 innings
Play-by-Play
• The third inning is when the scoring started. The Hornets grabbed the lead first with two in the inning. The first four runners all reached base without the ball leaving the infield. Back-to-back singles plated two runs and the Hornets still threatened with the bases loaded and nobody out.
•
Jordan Johnson came in from the bullpen to get out of the jam. A sharp line drive was snagged at third by
Jessica Sader who stepped on the bag for a double play. Johnson then induced a pop fly on the infield and the Jennies escaped giving up just the two runs.
• UCM got one right back in the bottom of the inning. With two outs,
Lauryn Deer singled and stole second.
Ashlyn Cook's fly ball then fell in front of the right fielder allowing Deer to score and make it a 2-1 game.
• Johnson was sailing in the middle part of the game and the Jennies tied things up in the fourth. Again it was a two-out rally with back-to-back hard-hit doubles from
Taylor Dames and
Kaitlyn Markin to tie the game at two.
• The Jennies scored for the third straight inning when
Aubrey Daniel crushed the first pitch she saw leading off the fifth well over the right-centerfield fence to give UCM their first lead, 3-2.
• One half-inning later, the Hornets tied things up with a solo home run of their own.
• Both teams left runners on base in the seventh and game one was headed for extra innings.
• In the circle,
Gentry Wishard fired two perfect innings in the eighth and ninth, setting the stage for a walk-off win in the ninth.
• Dames singled to start the frame and stole second. She moved to third on Markin's deep fly ball before
Makenzie Cooper walked putting runners on the corners.
• Down in the count 0-1, Coach Anderson called for the suicide squeeze. On a low and inside pitch, Daniel needed to leave her feet to get the bunt down, but she rolled it perfectly towards the pitcher as Dames slid in safely for the game-winning run.
Jennies Stat Leaders
•
Taylor Dames was 3-3 with a double, three stolen bases and two runs scored.
•
Lauryn Deer singled twice, stole two bases and scored a run.
•
Aubrey Daniel was 1-4 with a home run and the game-winning RBI.
•
Alexa Bradley started and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in two innings.
•
Jordan Johnson pitched 4.2 innings in relief giving up one runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
•
Gentry Wishard earned the win going the final 2.1 innings without allowing a hit and striking out one.
For the Hornets
• Montana Mesler started and pitched the first five innings giving up three runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
• Mackenzie Thornton took the loss out of the bullpen allowing a run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in 3.1 innings.
• Destiny Ojigoh was 2-4 with a home run.
• Rachel Kauss reached base twice with a hit and a walk and picked up an RBI.
Game Two - Central Missouri 3, Emporia State 2 - 8 innings
• The second game was a pitcher's dual from the get-go. Neither team scored in the first three innings.
• It was finally the Jennies turn to score first, plating two in the fourth inning.
Jessica Sader led off the frame with a single and scored on
Kaitlyn Markin's two-out RBI single that found a hole between third and short.
•
Taylor Nickel kept the inning alive and
Aubrey Daniel made it 2-0 scoring Nickel with an opposite-field single to right.
• The Hornets cut the lead in half in the sixth after back-to-back singles and an RBI ground out.
• With a runner on third and one out,
Alexa Bradley coaxed a foul out and a ground ball to end the inning with the Jens still ahead, 2-1.
• A walk started the seventh for Emporia State. A ground ball moved the runner into scoring position with two outs and a shallow fly ball fell in just out of the reach in Daniel in left field to tie the game at two.
• Central Missouri left two runners on base in the seventh and Hornets two in the top of the eighth.
•
Hailey Crabtree and
Kaitlyn Markin worked back-to-back one-out walks in bottom of the eighth. On a full count,
Taylor Nickel ripped a single into the gap in right center to score Crabtree with the game-winning run.
Jennies Stat Leaders
• Crabtree finished 2-3 with a walk and scored the game-winning run.
•
Taylor Nickel was 2-4 and had the walk-off RBI.
•
Aubrey Daniel had a hit and an RBI.
•
Lauryn Deer was 1-4 with a stolen base.
•
Gentry Wishard started and took a no decision pitching five innings and allowing one run on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
•
Alexa Bradley got the win tossing the final three innings, giving up a run on one hit with two walks.
For the Hornets
• Hannah Steeby was 2-4 with a run and an RBI.
• Desting Ojigoh finished 2-4 as well.
• Gabby Biondo collected a hit in four at bats and scored a run.
• Sydney Righi totaled seven innings in the circle giving up two runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
News and Notes
• Each of UCM's last three wins have been of the walk-off variety.
• The Jennies were a perfect 7-7 in stolen base attempts and stole six in game one.
• Each team left a lot of runners on base. The Jennies stranded 17 in two games, the Hornets 18.
• In nine of 17 innings the Hornets got the leadoff batter on base, but were just 4-34 hitting with men on base.
• In each of the last six seasons, the doubleheader between the Hornets and Jennies has resulted in a sweep. Both teams have swept three times.
•
Taylor Dames' three stolen bases in game one are a career-high.
• There's something about Emporia State that brings out the best in
Aubrey Daniel. All three career home runs have been hit against the Hornets.
Up Next
• The Jennies will hit the road for three doubleheaders next week. First up is Pittsburg State Tuesday, April 9. at 2 p.m.
