TOPEKA, Kan. — After sitting through a two-and-a-half hour rain delay, Griffon Softball stormed through Emporia State with a 9-1 win on Thursday afternoon at the Envista Softball Complex, staying alive in the MIAA Tournament.
Celebrating her birthday in the best way possible,
Bubba Hoelscher ignited the scoreboard with an RBI single in the bottom of the second, driving in
Taylor Jones.
Kalee Higdon kept the birthday bash going, slapping a two-run single up the middle to plate Hoelscher and
Chloe Armstrong, giving the Griffs a 3-0 lead. Once Higdon scored due to
Sydni Hawkins forcing an error at shortstop,
Abby Dickey sliced an RBI single to second base that allowed Hawkins to score, completing a five-run inning.
With Missouri Western up 5-0, pitcher
Sam Pederson kept Emporia State (33-23) at bay, only allotting one unearned on five hits, striking out three Hornets in the process. While ESU put a run on the board in the third,
Kennedy Preston plastered a solo home run to right-center field, pushing MWSU's lead to 6-1.
Kaylea Fessler made it a 7-1 game by plating Dickey with an RBI single to left, setting up Preston to put the game on ice with a two-run single of her own, lacing a pitch to left and scoring
Mackenzie DeVine and
Kate Voisin.
With MWSU up 9-1, Pederson put the Hornets in check, stranding a runner to clinch a 9-1 run-rule win and another day at the MIAA Tournament.
NOTABLES
- Preston's three RBI marks a career-high.
- Dickey and Preston led the Griffons with two hits apiece, both going 2-for-3 with four combined RBI at the plate.
- Not a single Hornet recorded more than one hit.
UP NEXT
The Griffons (36-19) await their next opponent in the MIAA Tournament, playing another elimination game against the loser of Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Envista Softball Complex.
