Baseball | 4/3/2012 11:27:00 AM
MID-WEEK FLIGHT
The Hornets will take on the Newman Jets in a mid-week inter NCAA South Central Regional match-up. The Hornets will be playing their first in region game, the first of four this week, against teams not from the MIAA.
LAST AT BAT
#28 ESU outhit Fort Hays State 10-8 on the day, but could not overcome two FHSU extra base hits. The Hornets hit ten singles in the 5-2 loss to the Tigers, though ESU still won the series 3-1. At the plate Eric Dawson went three for four with a run scored for ESU. Beau Poston was two for four with an RBI, while Zack Carlson went one for four with a run scored. Joe Vaskas drove in the other run with an RBI groundout in the second inning. On the mound Matt Robertson earned the loss for the Hornets.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 369-139 in his ninth season at ESU and is 674-251 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.
Zane Ehling is 39-39 in his second season with the Jets.
THE SERIES
This will be the 59th meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 42-16 overall advantage. The Hornets have won six of the last seven meetings.
LAST TIME VS. NEWMAN
Joe Kornbrust went two for five with a home run and two runs driven in as ESU came from behind to pull out a 10-3 win on the road at Newman on February 22, 2011. Joe Vaskas doubled and drove in two runs as ESU outhit the Jets 13-4 in the game. Zach Gove picked up his first win of the season pitching two innings of scoreless relief.
SCOUTING THE JETS
Newman is 17-10 on the season and they are 12-9 in the Heartland Conference. They are led at the plate by Ruben Marrero who is hitting .349 with two home runs and 16 runs driven in. On the mound they are led by Jacob Furr who is 3-1 on the year with a 2.61 earned run average.
ON DECK
ESU will play three more non-league games when Central Oklahoma comes to town on April 5-7. They will play three single nine innings games, scheduled to begin on the 5th and 6th at 6 p.m. while April 7th’s game is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Glennen Field.
