Baseball | 5/3/2012 10:54:00 AM
TURNPIKE TUSSLE ON TAP
The Hornets will face off with their rivals from the north in the home and away Turnpike Tussle. Things will start off on May 4 from Glennen Field in Emporia before shifting to Falley Field in Topeka on Saturday, May 5.
LAST AT BAT
ESU took the lead in the bottom of the third inning on an unearned run taking advantage of a UCM error. The Mules would answer to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning and would tack on three runs in the top of the seventh to earn the 4-1 win. At the plate Rudy Weiser went two for three and scored the lone run. Eric Dawson was two for four on the afternoon with an RBI single in the third inning. Derek Brooks went seven innings with four strikeouts allowing only five hits and four earned runs. He fell to 6-2 on the season.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 375-150 in his ninth season at ESU and is 680-2 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.
Steve Anson is 805-712-3 in his 33rd season with the Ichabods.
THE SERIES
This will be the 218th-221st meeting between the two teams with ESU holding a 155-61-1 overall advantage. The Hornets are 7-3 over the last ten meetings and haven’t lost a Turnpike Tussle game at home since the 2002 season.
LAST TIME VS. WU
Joe Vaskas and David Allbritton both hit home runs as ESU knocked off Washburn 7-5 on April 30, 2011. Kevin Wempe scored two of the Hornets runs. On the mound Brandon Faulkner came on in relief to pick up his eighth win and Brett Kinsel picked up his third save.
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn is 23-21 and 19-17 in the MIAA this season. John Calhoun is leading the way at the plate hitting .400 with nine home runs and 40 RBI. Brad Alberts is hitting .368 with six home runs and 30 runs batted in. On the mound Brett Ash is 5-4 with a 3.23 earned run average while Kerry Schachenmeyer is 6-2 with a 4.99 ERA.
ON DECK
The Hornets will play in the MIAA tournament starting on May 10 in Kansas City, Mo. The Hornets will play in one of the two opening round games from CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
