March 7, 2014-Emporia State stole six bases and had 12 hits in an 11-4 win at Central Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon to open the four game series between the two schools.
Justin Harris led off with a double and went to third on a wild pitch to open the game. Price Jacobs hit a sac fly to put the Hornets up 1-0. Dean Long followed with a single and stole second. He went to third on Evan Koehler's single and would score when Tory Bell reached on a fielder's choice. The Bronchos answered with a run in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1.
Harris led off the third with a single and stole second. He came home on Jacobs single for a 3-1 Hornet lead. Dylan Tinkler hit a solo homer in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2.Â
The Hornets put their speed on display in the fifth as they scored four runs on two hits with a pair of walks, a hit batter and three stolen bases. With one out Levi Parker walked and stole second. After a Harris fly out, Parker went to third on a wild pitch followed by a walk to Jacobs to put runners on the corners. Dean Long drove in Parker with a single. Long and Jacobs executed a double steal and Evan Koehler was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tory Bell's two RBI single then gave the Hornets a 7-2 lead.
Emporia State went up 9-2 with a pair of runs in the sixth. Wade Hannah led off with a walk, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Cody Bobbitt singled him home and was then erased on a double play. With two outs Harris tripled and scored on a wild pitch. An unearned run in the eighth gave the Hornets a 10-2 lead. Parker walked and went to third as Harris reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and scored on Jacobs sac fly.
Isaac Hellbusch hit a two run homer in the eighth for the final runs by the Bronchos. Emporia State scored their final run on a Bobbitt RBI single that scored Koehler in the ninth.
Harris was three for five and reached base four times with three runs scored. Jacobs and Bell both had three RBI while Bobbitt had two hits and two RBI. Garrett Brummett picked up his third win, allowing two runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Jake Eikleberry worked the final 3.0 innings to post his first save while giving up two runs on two hits.
The two teams will meet again on Sunday in a double header starting at 1:00 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.
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