May 8, 2009-Emporia State’s Jill Peters hit a walk-off homer with one out in the bottom of the tenth to give the Hornets a 3-2 win over Neb.-Omaha in the first round of the NCAA South Central Regional-1 in San Angelo, Texas on Friday afternoon. The two MIAA foes battled through ten innings and 102 degree heat in their third straight meeting. ESU had swept UNO last Sunday to win the MIAA Tournament title.

The Mavericks got on the board first, scoring an unearned run in the top of the third inning. Ashley Lynch opened the inning with a single to right center and moved to second when ESU’s Aubree Brattin couldn’t field Treightin Yates sacrifice bunt cleanly. Molly Feichtinger loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice when Miranda Campbell couldn’t get Lynch at third. After getting Lindsey Slocum to pop up for the first out, Angela Mahan was able to gun down Lynch at home trying to score for the second out. Yates then scored the first run of the game when Megan Dennis hit Amanda Bader before getting out of the inning when Alli Hukill fouled out leaving the bases loaded.

ESU answered in the bottom of the third with a lead off double from Jenna Potter. After Linda Ketter sacrificed her over to third, Potter scored on Mahan’s sacrifice fly. Abby Hughes followed with a triple to right center. With two outs, UNO intentionally walked Campbell and Dace and Brattin ended the inning with a ground ball to short to force Dace and leave the bases loaded.

UNO regained the lead in the top of the fourth on Feichtinger’s RBI single with two outs. The Hornets quickly answered in the bottom of the inning with back to back one out doubles by Potter and Jill Peters. That chased UNO starter Melissa Negrete and Beth Haley came in, and after giving up a single that saw Potter get thrown out at the plate, ended the inning with a ground ball to third.

Dennis and Haley then locked up in a pitcher’s duel for the next five innings. Dennis only allowed two base runners from the fifth through ninth innings while Haley held ESU scoreless despite having base runners in scoring position in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Haley was finally pulled after an intentional walk to Campbell, her third intentional pass of the night, with one out in the ninth. Slocumb came on in relief and got two fly outs to send the game to the tenth.

Dennis gave up a two out double to Jenna Dell in the tenth and then struck out Bader to set up Peters heroics in the bottom of the tenth.

Peters was three for five with two runs scored, a double and the game winning home run. Potter was three for four with two doubles, a run and an RBI. Campbell was intentionally walked three times.

Dennis went the distance in the circle, scattering seven hits over 10.0 innings with six strikeouts and one walk while allowing just one earned run for her 23 rd win of the season.

The Hornets will take on host Angelo State, a 10-5 winner over St. Edwards, on Saturday at 2 p.m. in San Angelo, Texas in the winner’s bracket championship game.

NOTES:

Jennifer Dace tied the ESU career record for doubles with her first inning double to left center. She tied Megan Davison’s record of 52 set from 2004-07.

The win was ESU’s fifth straight in NCAA Regional Tournament openers.

The win was ESU’s fourth straight against Neb.-Omaha this year.