Baseball | 2/16/2012 3:51:00 PM
LET’S GET IT STARTED
The Hornets open the 2012 campaign at home when Nebraska-Kearney comes to town on Feb. 17-19. The Hornets open the year ranked eighth in the nation in the ABCA Top 30.
BY WAY OF PREVIEW
The Hornets will have to replace nearly their entire infield from 2011 as Kevin Wempe, Andy Cotton and Jacob White have all moved on. Joe Vaskas, who led ESU in RBI last season will return to anchor the first base spot. In the outfield Dorain Williams will return after an injury in 2011 and be joined by returning starters Beau Poston and Joe Kornbrust. ESU returns 25 wins from last season’s starting rotation as Derek Brooks, Brandon Faulkner and Drew Smith return to the mound as does spot starter Zach Gove.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 350-131 in his ninth season at ESU and is 656-244 in his 16th year overall. He has led ESU to eight straight NCAA South Central Regionals. He led ESU to MIAA Championships in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011. A 1991 graduate of ESU, Fornelli has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament 12 times, and was the national runner-up in 2009 with ESU and in 2000 while at FHSU.
Damon Day is 234-218 in his ninth season with the Lopers.
THE SERIES
This will be the 39th meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 23-15 overall advantage. The Hornets have taken three of the last four meetings.
LAST TIME VS. UNK
The game saw only seven hits as the two teams played a pitchers duel to a 1-0 victory by the Lopers on Feb. 28, 2004. Josh Schaub, Nick Sheahon and Ben Bails had the four Hornet hits, two of which were doubles. Trevor Applebee went 5.2 innings allowing no hits, but one earned run to earn the loss for the Hornets.
SCOUTING THE LOPERS
Nebraska-Kearney went 38-19 and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference last season also going 3-2 in the NCAA Regional. Catcher Chandler Klute is their top returning hitter, batting .312 with 34 runs driven in last season. On the mound their top returner is Mike Loseke who went 8-2 with a 4.90 earned run avrage and 45 strikeouts.
ON DECK
The Hornets will continue their season opening homestand when they welcome Rockhurst to town on Feb. 22. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. from Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex.
