Baseball | 4/15/2014 11:53:00 AM
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Emporia State Hornets (25-14, 19-13 MIAA)
at Washburn Ichabods (18-18, 17-15 MIAA)
Tuesday April 15 at 5:00 p.m. • Topeka, Kan. • Falley Field
Series Record: ESU leads 160-69-1 Last Meeting: ESU 5, at WU 3 (4/6/14)
Up Next: vs. Northwest Missouri (DH) • Friday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
vs. Northwest Missouri (DH) • Saturday, April 19 at 1:00 p.m.
Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
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TAX DAY TURNPIKE TUSSLE
Emporia State travels to Topeka for another non-conference Turnpike Tussle match up with Washburn.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State matched their longest winning streak of the season at six games as they swept a double header from Lincoln on Saturday at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets won game one 12-4 and took the second 13-2 in seven innings. Two grand slams were the highlight of the matinee for the Hornets. Wade Hanna drilled his first career grand slam in the bottom of the first inning and Aaron Gile followed with his first in the second as Emporia State built an 11-1 lead after two innings. Things started a bit slower in the nightcap before Emporia State scored three runs on back to back doubles by Tory Bell and Todd Schultz in the bottom of the second to take the lead. The Hornets led 5-1 going to the bottom of the sixth when they exploded for eight runs. A three run homer from Levi Parker highlighted the inning.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 429-190 in his 11th season at Emporia State and is 734-300 overall in his 18th year overall. He is the fifth winningest active coach in NCAA 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.
Steve Anson is 836-792-3 in his 35th season at Washburn and 859-814-3 overall in 36 seasons overall.
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ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 25-14 overall and 19-13 in the MIAA. The Hornets have won six straight games and scored at least ten runs in their last five games. As a team they are batting .302, have a 4.70 ERA and a .962 team fielding percentage.
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn is 18-18 on the year and 17-15 in the MIAA. They are fifth in the MIAA with a 4.65 team ERA, have a .956 fielding percentage to rank eighth, and are 12th in hitting with a .281 team batting average.
THE SERIES
This will be the 230th meeting between the two with Emporia State leading the series 160-69-1.
LAST TIME VS. WU
The Hornets got 7.0 innings from starter Dakota McKaskle and Price Jacobs went five for five as Emporia State defeated Washburn 5-3 in the final game of the Turnpike Tussle weekend series. McKaskle went 7.0 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Brenton Higgins worked the final 2.0 innings for his seventh save of the year. After allowing a run and letting Washburn load the bases in the eighth, Higgins got two of his five strikeouts to end the threat.
ON DECK
The Hornets play their final home MIAA regular season series against Northwest Missouri this weekend. First pitch of Friday's double header is set for 2:00 p.m. at Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex.
