EMPORIA, Kan. — Abby Davis' first home run of the season locked up a win in the opener, as the Newman softball team earned a doubleheader split against Emporia State Tuesday in nonconference action.
GAME 1
Key Sequence
Davis broke a deadlock with her shot to left center in the top of the sixth for the Jets (9-34), and Chantel Purcella got out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh. The Hornets (16-28) got two runners on with no outs, and moved them both into scoring position, but Purcella grabbed the punchout in a 10-pitch at-bat to seal the 3-2 win.
How It Happened
-The Hornets got on the board first thanks to a pair of singles and an error to snag a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. There was little action from the offenses after that until the top of the fourth for the Jets.
-There, Erin Jankiewicz led off with a single, followed by Emma Eck on a fielder's choice and Davis with a single to load the bases. Then, with one out, Tyesha Morgan reached on a fielder's choice and Eck and Jankiewicz both scored, aided by an error, to take a 2-1 lead.
-ESU answered with a solo homer in the bottom half to tie it back up, but Davis broke that tie in the sixth, and Purcella proceeded to sit the Hornets down in order in the sixth before getting out of the jam to earn the win in the seventh.
GAME 2
Key Sequence
Newman trailed by five headed to the sixth, but got on the board when Delaney Hiegert scored on an error to give itself a shot at a rally with no outs. Instead, the Hornets picked up three straight outs to hold onto the lead. The first two runners again reached for the Jets in the top of the seventh, but ESU pitcher Kelsey Phillips induced three straight groundouts to get her team the 5-1 win.
How It Happened
-An error and a wild pitch got ESU an early run, and the hosts tagged two more on with a two-out single in the third to make it 3-0. Two-out runs also made it 4-0 in the fourth and 5-0 in the fifth.
-The Jet offense started to pick up with a double from Morgan in the top of the fifth, and Hiegert led off the sixth with a bunt single before scoring. Bailey Bugner and Lacey Colvin singled to start the seventh, but were stranded.
NOTES
-Hiegert notched three hits on the day, while Davis went 2-for-3 in the opener.
-Purcella scattered five hits and allowed just one earned run and one walk while striking out three in her fourth victory of the season.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets play their final games at home this season, hosting St. Mary's for a Heartland Conference series. Senior Day festivities will take place Friday.
