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Campbell Powers ESU to MIAA Tournament Title
Game Highlights | ESU Postgame Interviews | Box Score
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (ESU Media Relations) -- Miranda Campbell hit a grand slam home run in the second inning to propel No. 1 seed Emporia State to a 10-1 victory over No. 2 seed Nebraska-Omaha Saturday in championship game No. 2 of the 2010 MIAA Softball Championship at Blue Valley Sports Complex. ESU's seventh straight MIAA Tournament Championship came in the "if necessary" game due to UNO's 6-2 victory in the first championship game.
In the final game, both teams left the bases loaded in the first inning. Katie Huffman gave ESU the lead with a home run to left field. Jenna Potter walked and then with one out Angela Mahan reached on an infield single. Jessica Brewer beat the throw to first on a sacrifice attempt to load the bases. Abby Hughes then singled to right field, giving ESU a 2-0 lead and keeping the bases loaded. Without an open base, UNO pitched to Miranda Campbell, who delivered with a blast to straight away center field for a 6-2 ESU lead.
The Mavericks were responsible for six of Campbell's MIAA record ten intentional walks this season. UNO got on the board with an RBI single from Treightin Yates in the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth, Mahan answered for ESU with a double to right that scored Potter to put the Hornets back up by six runs. Mahan then delivered the final blow with a three run homer to right center with two outs in the seventh.
Paige Ladenburger went the distance in the circle for ESU, scattering six hits with five walks and four strikeouts for her 18th win of the season. Mahan was three for four with four RBIs, a double, a homer and two runs scored. Hughes went three for four with a run and an RBI, while Campbell was one for four with the grand slam.
The second championship game was forced when UNO took a 6-2 victory that snapped Jennifer Heerey's individual 21 game winning streak. The Mavericks' Emma Wright started the scoring with a solo home run in the second and then scored single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to go up 4-0. Mahan cut the lead to three runs with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.
Lindsey Slocum helped her own cause with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. Abby Smith got one of the runs back in the bottom of the seventh with a lead off home run, but that would be all ESU could get.
Heerey gave up two runs on two hits in 2.2 innings to take the loss. Karley Schmelzer came on in relief and allowed four runs, three of them earned, on six hits with five strikeouts. Mahan had two of the Hornets' hits with a single and home run.
With the win, Emporia State wrapped up the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Hornets were selected to host the NCAA Division II Softball South Central Regional No. 2 as the No. 1 seed, and Nebraska-Omaha earned the No. 2 seed in the South Central Regional No. 1. Both South Central regionals will be played Friday though Sunday, May 14-16.
2010 NCAA South Central Regional (Wichita Falls,
Texas)
1. *Midwestern State 50-8
2. Nebraska-Omaha 48-11
3. West Texas A&M 43-16
4. St. Mary's (TX) 34-19
2010 NCAA South Central Regional 2 (Emporia,
Kan.)
1. *Emporia State 47-12
2. Angelo State 43-12
3. Central Oklahoma 32-19
4. Texas Woman's 37-20
