Baseball | 4/9/2012 4:49:00 PM
THEY’ll BE BACK
The Hornets close out their homestand with a double header against Missouri Western. Following that ESU will hit the road for nine straight games before returning to play #5 Central Missouri.
LAST AT BAT
Shawn Talkington threw 120 pitches and struck out a career high 12 batters, but it was not enough as the ESU fell 1-0 in ten innings to Central Oklahoma. The two teams combined for only six hits through the first five innings as both pitchers had masterful nights. At the plate Ashton McCoy went two for five and Rudy Weiser was two for four as they were the only Hornets with multiple hits. Talkington was the highlight for the Hornets going 8.0 innings striking out the 12 while walking only one and allowing just five hits.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 370-141 in his ninth season at ESU and is 675-252 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.
Buzz Verduzco is 316-262 in his 11th season with the Griffons.
THE SERIES
This will be the 129th and 130th meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 96-32 overall advantage. The Hornets have won 16 of the last 18 meetings and a 5-1 over their last six mid-week meetings.
LAST TIME VS. MO. WESTERN
The Hornets struck first on a Zack Carlson single driving in Kornbrust. Missouri Western would answer in their half of the inning, though Zach Gove got out of danger working out of a bases loaded jam. The Hornets would take the lead for good in the third inning when Joe Vaskas hit his first of two doubles to drive in Kornbrust. ESU would then add three insurance runs in the fifth inning in a 5-1 victory on the road in St. Joseph earlier this season.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western is 21--11 and 14-8 in the MIAA. They are led at the plate by Spencer Shockley who is hitting .340 with four home runs and 16 RBI. Brandon Simmons is 7-2 on the mound with a 1.95 earned run average.
ON DECK
The Hornets will travel to Missouri Southern on April 13-15. The two teams will play a four game set from Joplin, Mo.
