AUSTIN, Texas – The St. Edward's Softball team seems to be clicking on all cylinders these days and Thursday was no different. The Hilltoppers defeated 17^th-ranked Emporia State twice at Diane Daniels.
 
Game 1
In the opening game, it was Emporia State (7-4) who got on the scoreboard first as they pushed across an unearned run in the second inning.
 
St. Edward's responded in the third inning in a big way. After CYDNEY ERVIN led off the inning with a single to left, she advanced to third on a failed pickoff by the Hornet catcher. BREAH WHITTEN followed with a single up the middle to score Ervin and tie the game. After ALEX MAYFIELD and KACI OLSON singled to load the bases, the Hilltoppers came up empty twice with outs. With two outs, freshman MORGAN DUFOUR stepped to the plate. The thirdbaseman ripped a pitch over the centerfield fence for a grand slam. That gave the Hilltoppers a 5-1 lead.
 
After Emporia State scratched out a run in the fourth inning, the Hilltoppers answered with a run in the fifth inning. CAITIE CARNEY provided the offense with a home run to right centerfield.
 
The Hornets tried to rally in the sixth inning with another run, but Dufour launched her second home run of the game to dead centerfield for a 7-3 margin.
 
That is how it would end as SARAH DEBROW (7-2) picked up the victory in the circle. She allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits, while walking three and striking out six batters in her complete-game victory. It was Debrow's sixth-straight victory on the season after starting 1-2.
 
Game 2
It was Emporia State who jumped out to an early 1-0 lead again as it plated an unearned run in the second inning.
 
It was a pitching duel from there as KATELYN KLUG of St. Edward's and Eryn Stockman kept hitters off-balance for most of the game.
 
In the sixth inning, the Hilltopper defense came up big.  After the Hornets loaded the bases with nobody out, Ervin came up with the play of the game. Jacie Stephens lined a shot to shallow centerfield and Ervin made a diving catch for the first out. She alertly got to her feet and threw to her relay in ALEX MAYFIELD. Mayfield took the throw and gunned out Caitlin VanVleck at the plate trying to tag up. Klug would strike out the next hitter to leave two runners stranded.
 
The Hilltoppers finally struck gold against Stockman in the bottom of the sixth. Carney reached base with a hit by pitch with one out. Dufour was clutch again, as her line drive to left field got past a diving Hornet fielder as she tallied a double. Carney scored from first base to knot the score, 1-1.
 
The game would head to extra innings as neither team could score in the seventh inning. Playing the international tiebreaker rule in the eighth inning, Emporia State came up empty in the top of the inning. In the bottom of the eighth inning, BREAH WHITTEN was placed on second base by rule. After ALEX MAYFIELD sacrificed her to third base, Olson struck out. Carney approached the plate with the game on the line. The senior ripped a pitch right back up the middle off of Stockman's leg as Whitten raced home with the winning run.
 
Klug (5-5) picked up the victory, allowing the one unearned run off of three hits, while walking two and striking out five batters.
 
For the doubleheader, Dufour was 4-for-5 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI. Carney was no slouch either, registering a 2-for-5 day with two runs scored and two RBI. KP PERCH was 3-of-6 at the plate.
 
The victory was the Hilltoppers' ninth out of the last 11 games.
 
The Hilltoppers and Hornets will meet in the series finale Friday. First-pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Diane Daniels Field. Live video and stats will be available on the Hilltopper Athletic Website.