April 17, 2009-The Emporia State softball team handed Central Missouri their first loss in MIAA play with a 4-0 win in the second game of their double header. The Jennies won the first game 2-0 on two unearned runs in the top of the seventh.

ESU's Megan Dennis and UCM's Megan Leonard locked up in a pitcher's duel in the matinee. Each pitcher tossed a shutout on just three hits through the first six innings. The Jennies took the lead in the top of the seventh when Cat White and Jessica Marble opened the frame with singles. They then advanced to second and third on a sac bunt. Neither scored when Abby Hughes looked them back on Tracy Anderson's ground out to short to preserve the tie. Tarese Ely-Myers then hit a grounder to third, but Miranda Campbell's throw to first was high and Jennifer Dace couldn't control it allowing both runners to score.

Leonard's shut out, her ninth straight for the Jennies, allowed her to tie the NCAA Division II record for consecutive scoreless innings at 83.2 innings. Dennis scattered five hits and ran her string of not allowing an earned run to 21.1 innings.

ESU jumped on top early in the second game, as Angela Mahan scored on Dace's RBI single in the bottom of the first. The Hornets picked up two insurance runs in the fourth on back to back RBI singles by Aubree Brattin and Jenna Potter.

Jennifer Heerey tossed a three hitter for her fourth shut out of the season for the Hornets. The win was her 16th of the season, the most by a Hornet freshman since Melissa Stevens went 20-5 in 2003.

ESU is scheduled to be back in action on Saturday against Southwest Baptist. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and the matinee will be broadcast on KFFX-FM 104.9 and on the internet at kvoe.com.