Baseball | 3/21/2012 6:31:00 PM

DOG DAY AFTERNOON 

For the third straight weekend the Hornets will face an MIAA opponent at home. ESU plays 14 of their next 16 games at home before playing nine straight away from home. 

LAST AT BAT 

ESU used five home runs to propel themselves to a 15-2 win over Pittsburg State. Joe Kornbrust would finish four for four on the day with a career high seven runs batted in just one game after seeing a 15 game hitting streak come to an end. Vaskas was three for three on the afternoon with four runs driven in and three runs scored. Rudy Weiser went two for four with one run driven in and one run scored. Joe Hosey finished two for three with two runs batted in and a run scored. Matt Robertson picked up his second win. 

THE COACHES

Bob Fornelli is 361-137 in his ninth season at ESU and is 666-249 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. 

Dan Davis is 60-201 in his fifth season with the Bulldogs.    

THE SERIES 

This will be the 71st through 74th meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 58-12 overall advantage. The Hornets have won 25 straight meetings with their last loss coming during the 2005 season. 

LAST TIME VS. TSU 

Joe Vaskas was two for four with a home run and three runs batted in as ESU defeated Truman 8-6 on March 13, 2011. Andy Cotton added two runs batted in as ESU came from behind for the victory. Zach Gove picked up the win and Michael Cotten picked up his third save of the season. 

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS     

Truman State is 2-14, 1-11 in the MIAA this season. They are led at the plate by Jarod Hahn who is hitting .353 with four runs batted in. On the mound Logan Siegler has made four starts with a 1-3 record and a 5.32 earned run average. 

ON DECK

The Hornets will hit the road for the first time since March 3 when they travel to Missouri Western for a mid week game. First pitch on March 27 is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Phil Welch Stadium from St. Joseph, Mo.