Baseball | 3/7/2012 2:11:00 PM
HOMESTYLE LEAGUE ACTION
The Hornets will face Northwest Missouri in their first home series in MIAA play. The Hornets are 53-13 all-time their MIAA opening home series. They have won ten straight with their last loss coming to ranked Nebraska-Omaha team.
LAST AT BAT
ESU fell behind 6-0 as SBU jumped on top in the first three innings. The Hornets rebounded and took a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bearcats would respond and tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. The two teams remained tied before got two in the bottom of the tenth to come from one run down and win 9-8 in the game. Eric Dawson hit his first career home run going two for four on the afternoon with a team high six runs batted in.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 356-134 in his ninth season at ESU and is 661-246 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.
Darin Loe is 330-321 in his 12th season with the Bearcats.
THE SERIES
This will be the 76th meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 45-30 overall advantage. The Hornet have won 15 of the last 16 meetings between the two teams.
LAST TIME VS. NWMSU
Derek Brooks threw a complete game shutout going all nine innings striking out five and allowing just six hits in a 6-0 win on May 8, 2011. Five Hornets hit doubles as ESU pushed across five runs in the fifth inning. David Allbritton and Joe Vaskas each had two runs batted in for ESU. Jacob White and Parker Amos added two hits for the Hornets who racked up 13 total hits in the game.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 4-8, but went 3-1 in MIAA play opening weekend. They are led at the plate by Ryan Abernathy who is hitting .457 with one home run and seven RBI. Travis Green is hitting .440 with four home runs and 10 RBI. Chris Green is leading the Bearcats on the mound where he is 2-0 with a 3.38 earned run average.
ON DECK
ESU will play their next eight straight at home beginning when Pittsburg State comes to town on March 16-18 for a four game set from Glennen Field.
