Baseball | 5/10/2014 12:22:00 AM
MIAA Championship Game
Emporia State Hornets (38-17, 26-14 MIAA)
vs.
Missouri Western Griffons (32-18, 24-14 KCAC)
May 10, 2014 • 11:00 a.m. • Hammons Field • Springfield, Mo. Â
If necessary to follow 30 minutes after first game
 Series Record: ESU leads 100-38 Last Meeting: MWSU 8, at ESU 0 (03/16/14) Â
Radio: KVOE-AM 1400 Internet Audio:
kvoe.comUp Next: Winner receives MIAA Automatic Bid to NCAA Central Region
May 15-17, 2014 • TBA
Complete Notes in pdf •
Live StatsMIAA CHAMPIONSHIP TIME
Emporia State plays Missouri Western in the MIAA Championship game. It is the first time the Hornets have made the MIAA Championship game since 2011 and the second straight title game for the Griffons.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State got their second straight complete game pitching effort of the day in a 12-1 run rule win over Central Oklahoma. Jarrod Miller allowed one run on five hits while Justin Harris led the offense with three hits and three RBI.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 442-193 in his 11th season at Emporia State and is 747-301 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.
Buzz Verduzco is 434-325 in his 15th season at Missouri Western.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 38-17 overall and 26-14 in the MIAA. They won 19 of their last 22 games. They are batting .298, with a 4.11 ERA and a .964 team fielding percentage. Emporia State pitchers lead the MIAA and are ranked in sixth nationally in K/BB ratio. At the plate the Hornets are sixth in the nation in home runs while they lead the MIAA and are ranked 11th nationally in stolen bases. Dean Long leads the MIAA in RBI with 58, Toby Cornejo has a league best 19 doubles and Justin Harris is tops in the MIAA with 41 stolen bases on the season.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western is 32-18 and went 24-14 in the MIAA. They have a .307 team batting average, 4.62 team ERA and a .960 team fielding percentage. Ryan Degner is batting .391 with ten home runs, 48 RBI and 16 doubles on the season. A total of 11 Griffons have started at least one game on the season and three players have saves. Mason Queen is 4-4 with a team best 3.40 ERA in 20 appearances with four starts and five saves.
THE SERIES
Saturday's first championship game will be the 139th meeting between the two with Emporia State leading 100-38 all-time. The Hornets won four of five games between the two this year, all at the Trusler Sports Complex.
LAST TIME VS. MISSOURI WESTERN
Emporia State saw their seven game winning streak come to an end with an 8-0 loss to Missouri Western at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Hornets did win the series 3-1 over the Griffons. The first two batters reached and scored for Missouri Western to put Emporia State in a hole early. The Griffons added an unearned run in the third and added three more in the fifth for a 6-0 lead. Mo. Western finished the scoring with single runs in the sixth and ninth innings. Emporia State had runners in scoring position in seven of the nine innings but were shut out for just the second time this year.
ON DECK
The MIAA Tournament Champion will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Central Regional Tournament. The automatic qualifiers from the MIAA, NSIC and GAC along with the next three highest teams make the regional. Emporia State was ranked fifth in the latest regional ranking.
