PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team split a MIAA double header Friday (Apr.14) with the Lady Hornets of Emporia State University at the PSU Softball Field at the Gene Bicknell Complex.
The Gorillas took game one by a score of 16-3 in five innings. Then the Lady Hornets bounced back taking game two 13-8.
Game One
The Gorillas took game one 16-3 in five innings due to the run rule.The Gorillas got off to a hot start in game one with a sac fly from Kylee Bohle in the bottom of the first to give the Gorillas a 1-0 lead. In the next inning, the Gorillas bats drove in seven runs starting with an rbi single from Kadyn Trochim to make the score 2-0. On the next at-bat, Gabby Schultz would score on a wild pitch that went out of play to extend the Gorilla lead to 3-0. In the same inning, Taylor Lambert would drive in a run with an rbi single to make the score 4-0. Two batters later, and with the bases loaded, Paxtyn Hayes would clear the bases with an rbi double down the right field line to make the score 7-0. The last run of the bottom of the second would come off of a suicide squeeze off the bat of Sophia Driver to make the score 8-0. The Lady Hornets would score two runs in the top of the third with a two run double from Ari Cordova to make the score 8-2. Then the Gorilla bats would explode for eight runs in the bottom of the third starting with a Lambert three run homerun to left field to extend the Gorilla lead to 11-2. Later that inning, Driver would hit a two run double down the right field line to make it 13-2. In the next at-bat, Bohle would score off of a wild pitch to make it 14-2. Two batters later, Trochim would add on to the Gorilla lead with an rbi single through the left side of the field to make the score 15-2. The Gorillas would score the final run of the inning on a wild pitch to make the score 16-2. The Lady Hornets would score a run in the top of the fifth on a wild pitch to make the score 16-3. Hannah Harrison would go five innings to get the win, striking out six Emporia State Hitters.
Game Two
The Lady Hornets took game two by a score of 13-8. The Lady Hornets got the fireworks started with an rbi single from Abby Ward to give ESU a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the first Bohle would rip a two run home run over the center field fence to give the Gorillas a 2-1 lead. The Lady Hornets would score three runs in the top of the second starting with a sac fly from Emma Furnish to tie the game at two. Later in that inning, Ward would hit a suicide squeeze to give the Lady Hornets a 3-2 lead. On the next at-bat, Cordova would hit an rbi double to right center to extend the Lady Hornet lead to 4-2. The Lady Hornets would score nine runs in the top of the third, starting with a lead-off home run by Sophia Rockhold to make the score 5-2. Later in the inning, Lexi Williams would hit an rbi single to make the score 6-2. Two batters later, Ronni Raines would hit an rbi single to center field to make the score 7-2. Later that inning the Lady Hornets would score two runs on an fielding error to make the score 9-2. Alexis Dial would drive in three runs with a double off of the right field wall to make the score 12-2. The final run of the inning would be scored with a rbi double from McKensy Glass to make the score 13-2. After the nine run inning, the Gorillas would battle back starting with a two-run infield single from Hayes to cut the lead to 13-4. In the bottom of the fourth, the Gorillas used the deep ball with Trochim and Gracie Sullivan hitting back-to-back home runs to left field to cut the lead to 13-7. In the bottom of the fifth, Gabby Schultz would hit an rbi single to left field to make the score 13-8. Kelly Hipgher would get the win in game two for the Lady Hornets.
A few Gorillas had a stellar day at the plate. Junior Kadyn Trochim went 4-6 with four rbis and a long ball. Senior Taylor Lambert went 4-7 with four runs driven in and a home run in game one. Freshman Heather Arnett went 5-7 on the afternoon with a stolen base in game two.
The Gorillas (23-15, 8-8 MIAA) will be back in action at the PSU Softball field Saturday (Apr. 15) as they will take on the Ichabods of Washburn University in a double header starting at 2:00 p.m.
