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#22 HORNETS SPLIT WITH NWMSU

ESU 3, NWMSU 1
NWMSU 7, ESU 5

April 6, 2008--The #22 Hornets split a double header with Northwest Missouri on Sunday, winning game one 3-1 before falling 7-5 in the nightcap.

All of ESU's runs in the first game came via the long ball. Abby Smith gave the Hornets the lead with a two run blast to center in the second inning. Angela Mahan made it 3-0 with a solo shot in the fifth inning. That was more than enough for Samantha Sheeley as she struck out 14 Bearcats and scattered six hits over seven innings for her 12th win of the year.

The nightcap saw the teams battle back and forth for all seven innings. The Bearcats scored a run in the top fo the first only to see the Hornets come back with three in the bottom of the inning. Jessie Wiard got things started with a single up the middle and then stole second for her 33rd straight steal of the season. After going to third on a sacrifice bunt, Wiard scored on a Jennifer Dace single to center. Dace then went to second on a Miranda Campbell single up the middle and scored on April Huddleston's single up the middle that sent Campbell to third. Shelbe Hughes reched on a fielder's choice when she grounded to third and Amber Corkins tagged out Campbell off third. Corkins threw the ball away allowing Huddleston to score.

Northwest tied the score in the third on a RBI double by Tiffany Graham and a single by Tiffany Carter. The Bearcats took the lead in the fourth Kaila Ballard's lead off double chased ESU starter Megan Dennis. Sheeley came on in relief and walked the first batter she faced to put runners at second and third. NWMSU loaded the bases when Angela Mahan could not handle the throw at first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Corkins was then hit by a pitch to score the go ahead run.

ESU came back to tie the score in the fifth when Dace singled in Jenna Potter. NWMSU retook the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth. Casey Carper singled in the go ahead run and Graham provided what proved to be the game winner on a two run homer to left. The Hornets scored a run in the bottom of the seventh on a Huddleston single and had the tying run on base when the game ended.

The Hornets are back in action on Wednesday when they play host to Washburn. First pitch of the double header is set for 5 p.m. with both games being webcast at www.kvoe.com.

NOTES:
-Samantha Sheeley's 14 strike outs in game one are the third most she has had in a game this year.
-ESU had a six game winning streak snapped with the loss in game two.
-Megan Dennis had a string of 29.1 innings pitched without allowing an earned run snapped in the first inning of game two.
-Jessie Wiard's sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning of game two was the 76th of her career and adds to her own NCAA Division II career record.