Emporia St. takes two from Panthers

EMPORIA, Kan. – Emporia State swept Drury at home on Wednesday, winning game one 9-1, then holding off a Panthers threat in the seventh for a 5-4 victory in game two.
 
The Hornets went to 16-10, and the Panthers dropped to 15-15.
 
Emporia State blew open a 2-1 lead in the third inning with four runs in the frame on their way to a 9-1 win in game one.
 
Drury took an early lead with a run in the first. Lindsay Henson put the Panthers in front with an RBI single that drove in Sophia Luetticke. Emporia State promptly went in front in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs, then broke the game open on a three-run home run in the third from Alexis Dial.
 
Roni Rains had a three-RBI game for the Hornets, while Gracie Rabe (5-3) got the win. Kristina Bettis (9-7) took the loss for Drury. Reagan Hight and Victoria Garland both went 2 for 2 at the plate for the Panthers.
 
Emporia State fought off a Drury rally in the seventh to win game two 5-4. The Panthers took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, only the have the Hornets tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom half of the inning. Sophia Rockhold put Emporia State in front with a double in a fifth, and the Hornets took a 5-3 lead in the sixth on a double by Abbey Ward.
 
Drury then mounted a threat in the seventh and loaded the bases with no one out. After an infield flyout, Reagan Hight’s single brought the Panthers within a run of the lead, but Emporia State reliever Sydni Righi would get back-to-back pop-ups to get out of the jam and end the game.
 
Rylee Kolb went 3 for 4 in the game for Drury with a run and an RBI.
 
The Panthers return to conference play for their next doubleheader as they travel to Southwest Baptist for a noon game on Saturday in Bolivar.
 
 
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