EMPORIA, Ks. — There's nothing sweeter than sweep — unless when it's a sweep to win your 700th and 701st career win as a coach.

Game 1

MWSU 2, Emporia State 1

A bloop and a blast is all Brea Blanton and the Griffons (16-16, 7-5 MIAA) needed to hold down the Hornets for the 2-1 victory — which is Coach Joe Yegge's 700th win in his coaching career. Blanton's home run to right field scored Taylor Hoelscher, who got thanks to a one-out single. This is Blanton's second bomb of the season.

Pitcher Sydney Rader pitched lights out with eight strikeouts. The sophomore stud didn't let Emporia (18-18-, 7-5 MIAA) score until the sixth inning when Maddy Broxterman took a double to left-center field to score Abbey Ward. The Hornets kept the game alive with a two-out triple in the seventh by McKensy Glass, but Rader slammed the door shut on any comeback by fanning Josie Harrison to end the game. 

Game 2 

MWSU 9, Emporia State 7

Pitching duels went out of style in game two when Sydni Hawkins hammered two home runs to guide the Griffons to a 9-7 win in an offensive slugfest. Hawkins went deep on the fifth pitch of the game for a solo shot to right field — her third of the season at the time. After the Hornets tied the game at 3-3, Blanton sent her third moonshot of the day to left center to retake the lead.

Déjà vu hit in the fourth when Hawkins smashed her fourth home run of the season — a two-run shot to also bring home Blanton. Up 7-5 and down 0-2 in the count later in the inning, Chloe Armstrong cranked a solo homer to right to keep Emporia at bay. Rader came in to grab her second win of the day in the circle with four strikeouts to match her four innings. 

Next Up

The Griffons find themselves back at .500 and prepare for a non-conference matchup with Illinois-Springfield (22-12, 6-8 GLVC) in a doubleheader on Wednesday at 2 and 4 p.m.