April 10, 2009-Freshman Jennifer Heerey had a career high ten strike outs in the nightcap as Emporia State split with Missouri Southern in Joplin on Friday afternoon.  The Hornets fell 3-2 in the matinee and came back to win 5-4 in the second game against the Lions.

After giving up back to back homers with one out in the second, Heerey retired 14 of the next 16 batters she faced including nine in a row with six strike outs from the third to the sixth inning.

ESU took an early lead in the second inning of game two on an RBI double by Jennifer Dace, who later scored on a passed ball.  MSSU tied it in the bottom of the inning on solo homers by Brooke Hurley and Kelli Bax.  The Hornets retook the lead with three in the top of the fourth.  Jill Peters gave ESU the lead with a two RBI double and Abby Hughes made it 5-2 with an RBI single.  A two out, two run homer in the bottom of the seventh by MSSU's Lauren Hasty made it 5-4 before Heerey struck out Lauryn Berger to end the game.

Heerey won her 14th game by allowing four runs on five hits, striking out ten and walking only one.  Her 14 wins are the most by a Hornet freshman since Melissa Stevens went 20-5 in 2003. Dace was three for three with an RBI and run scored. Jill Peters went one for three with two RBI for the Hornets.

In the first game, ESU took a 1-0 lead on Miranda Campbell's RBI double in the first.  MSSU tied the game in the bottom of the first on a fielder's choice that scored Trish Washburn.  The Lions took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Hasty. The Hornets tied it with three straight two out singles by Linda Ketter, Angela Mahan and Hughes.   MSSU retook the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.  With two outs and Hurley on second, Bax reached after swinging at a wild pitch with two strikes to extend the inning.  Hurley scored on an error by Hughes at shortstop.

Hughes and Campbell each had RBI in the opener for the Hornets. Brattin had two hits and a stolen base for ESU. Megan Dennis took the loss for ESU, giving up three runs, two of them earned and striking out six while walking only one.

ESU is back in action on Saturday at Pittsburg State. First pitch in Pittsburg, Kan. is set for 1 p.m.