May 3, 2009-Emporia State completed a run through the losers bracket with a 5-3 come from behind win over #25 Neb.-Omaha to win their sixth consecutive MIAA Tournament Championship. The Hornets forced the second championship game with a 5-1 win over the Mavericks in the first game of the day. With the win, ESU will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year and seventh time in school history.

In the matinee, ESU broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the fifth inning. Linda Ketter gave ESU the lead with an RBI double to score Jill Peters. After UNO got one run back in the bottom of the fifth, Peters sent her seventh home run of the year over the scoreboard in right field for a 4-1 lead. Miranda Campbell gave the Hornets their final run with an RBI double in the seventh.
Megan Dennis picked up her 21st win of the year, scattering five hits over 7.0 innings with an unearned run, six strike outs and no walks. Hughes went three for four with an RBI and a run scored in the first game.

The Hornets fell behind 2-0 in the top of the second inning of the second championship game on Kristi McNeeley’s two run home run off starter Jennifer Heerey. Abby Hughes cut the lead in half with her team leading 12th home run of the year in the bottom of the third and gave ESU the lead with a two RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the fifth. The Hornets added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of unearned runs for a 5-1 lead going into the seventh. Julie Krejci hit her second pinch hit homer of the tournament in the top of the seventh. Dennis, who came on in relief of Heerey in the third, struck out Lindsey Slocum to end the game and give the Hornets their sixth straight MIAA Tournament Championship.

Dennis pitched 4.2 innings of relief to win her 22nd game and fifth win of the tournament. Hughes was two for three with a home run and three RBI in game two.

The Hornets will begin play in one of two, four team South Central Regional Tournaments this weekend at a yet to be determined location. The winners of the two regionals will meet the next weekend in a Super Regional for a chance to go to the NCAA Division II World Series in Salem, Virginia.

NOTES:
ESU is now 15-3 in post-season elimination games under Kristi Bredbenner.
Bredbenner is now 18-1 at ESU and 24-2 all-time as a head coach in MIAA Tournament games.
The NCAA Selections will be announced late Sunday night.