Baseball | 4/4/2012 4:55:00 PM
HOMESTEADING
The Hornets close out a long homestand with five straight at home before going on the road for nine straight games. ESU will then return home for six of their final eight games including a series with Central Missouri and the Turnpike Tussle.
LAST AT BAT
#22 ESU scored in the top of the first inning, but could not hold on falling 2-1 in a pitchers duel to Newman. The Jets took advantage of an ESU error in the sixth inning to score the go-ahead run after ESU took a lead in the bottom of the first. At the plate Eric Dawson was the only Hornet with multiple hits going two for four and driving in the games only run. On the mound Brandon Faulkner worked six innings allowing only one earned run and striking out five while walking none.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 369-140 in his ninth season at ESU and is 674-252 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.
Dax Leone is 45-35 in his second season with the Bronchos.
THE SERIES
This will be the 28th-30th meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 14-13 overall advantage.
LAST TIME VS. CENTRAL OKLA.
Kevin Wempe went two for four on the afternoon, but ESU could not complete the comeback in a 10-8 loss on Feb. 17, 2012 in Edmond, Okla. Wempe drove in four runs while Travis Whipple went two for four and scored two runs. On the mound Matt Robertson pitched 3.0 inning, allowing five runs, only one of which was earned in the loss. Brett Mize, Spencer Blades and Kyle Rosine pitched scoreless innings of relief.
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is 21-12 on the season playing as an independent before joining the MIAA next season. Austin Rycroft is leading the team at the plate hitting .409 with 13 home runs with 41 runs driven in. On the mound they are led by Edgar Lopez who has a 7-2 record with a 1.70 earned run average. Ryan Miller is 5-0 with a 4.74 earned run average.
ON DECK
The Hornets will face Missouri Western on April 10 in a mid-week match-up with a scheduled 4 p.m. first pitch for the doubleheader.
