Baseball | 3/27/2014 4:25:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (16-9, 12-8 MIAA)
at
Ft. Hays State Tigers (7-16, 6-14 MIAA)
Mar. 28, 2014 • 7:00 p.m. • Hays, Kan. • Larks Park
Mar. 29, 2014 • 1:00 p.m. (DH) • Hays, Kan. • Larks Park
Mar. 30, 2014 • 12:00 p.m. • Hays, Kan. • Larks Park
Series Record: ESU leads 131-61 Last Meeting: FHSU 5, at ESU 1 (3/11/13)
Up Next: vs. Central Missouri • April 1, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan.
SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
Emporia State travels to Hays, Kan. for a four game series with Ft. Hays State. It's the first road trip for the Hornets since taking three of four from then #14 Missouri Southern on March 9 and 10.
LAST AT BAT
The Hornets held on for a 5-4 victory over Neb.-Kearney to earn a split in the four game series and maintain their spot in the top four of the MIAA standings. Justin Harris was two for three with two RBI while Tory Bell had two RBI and a run scored. Dakota McKaskle picked up the win after giving up three runs on six hits over 7.0 innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Brenton Higgins worked the final 1.2 innings for his fifth save of the season.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 420-185 in his 11th season at Emporia State and is 725-294 overall in his 18th year overall. He is the fifth winningest active coach in Division II and is 19th in total victories. He has led Emporia State to two Division II World Series appearances in eight NCAA Tournaments. Fornelli has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament 13 times, and was the national runner-up in 2009 with Emporia State and in 2000 while at Ft. Hays State. He is 32-8 against the Tigers.
Steve Johnson is 87-86 in his fourth year at Ft. Hays State. He is 2-8 against the Hornets.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 16-9 overall and 12-8 in the MIAA. They are third in the MIAA standings and are ranked third in field with a .965 fielding percentage. The Hornets are sixth in the conference in pitching with a 4.75 ERA and rank tenth in hitting with a .288 batting average.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Ft. Hays State is 7-16 overall and 6-14 in the MIAA and are 4-4 over their last eight games. They are ranked 12th in the MIAA in hitting with a .283 team batting average, 13th in pitching with a 7.35 ERA and are 14th in fielding with a .942 fielding percentage.
SERIES RECORD
The Hornets and Tigers have met 192 times with Emporia State leading 131-61 in the series. The Hornets have won 23 of the last 26 meetings between the two.
LAST TIME VS. FHSU
Emporia State got a walk-off home run to win the first game before giving up five runs in the nightcap to earn a split with Fort Hays State at the Trusler Sports Complex. Jordan Slade hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-2 win in game one for the Hornets. The Hornets only mustered one run in a 5-1 loss in the nightcap.
ON DECK
The Hornets return to Trusler to take on Central Missouri in a non-conference game on April 1. First pitch on Glennen Field is set for 5:00 p.m.
