Baseball | 5/8/2014 11:10:00 PM
Box Score Box Score in htmlMay 8, 2014-Emporia State battled back from a three run deficit to force extra innings before falling 9-8 to Central Oklahoma in ten innings at the MIAA Tournament in Springfield, Mo. The Hornets will play Northeastern State in an elimination game at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.
After the start of the game was delayed by four hours due to rain in Springfield, the Hornets commited three errors in the top of the first but were able to hold the Bronchos to just one run. Emporia State then scored four runs in the bottom of the first on an RBI double from Dean Long, a single from Toby Cornejo and a two run homer by Price Jacobs. Central Oklahoma got a two run homer from Wacy Henderson and a single from Phillips Wilson to tie the score at 4 in the top of the second. They then took a 5-4 lead on a ground out in the top of the third.
Justin Harris manufactured a run in the bottom of the third. He led off with a single, then stole second and third before scoring on Cornejo's ground out to tie the score at 5-5. The Bronchos used a Hornet balk and error to score three runs in the top of the fourth for an 8-5 lead. Wade Hanna singled in Long in the sixth to pull Emporia State within 8-6 and then Harris and Long had back to back RBI singles to tie the score at 8-8 after seven innings.
Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth despite having runners in scoring position in both innings. With one out in the top of the tenth Henderson hit his second homer of the game to put the Bronchos up 9-8. Hanna singled to lead off the bottom of the tenth and went to second on a sac bunt but the Hornets could not get the tying run home.
Long was three for five with two RBI and two runs scored while Hanna went three for five for Emporia State. Brenton Higgins went 3.0 innings and allowed the one run on four hits for his second loss of the year.
Emporia State will play Northeastern State on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.
