March 8, 2015-The Hornets posted a pair of come from behind wins over Central Oklahoma on Sunday in Edmond, Okla as they scored all of their runs on the day in the fourth inning or later. Emporia State won the first game 6-3 and took the second 4-2.
The Bronchos took a 2-0 lead in the third inning of the matinee before Dean Long tied it with a two run double and then scored two batters later on an error by the UCO catcher to give the Hornets a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth. After Central Oklahoma tied it at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Emporia State took the lead for good in the top of the sixth. With two outs Price Jacobs doubled and Long was intentionally walked. They both came home on Evan Koehler's double to center for a 5-3 lead. Cody Bobbit drove in Dalton Wheat in the top of the seventh to make it 6-3.
Garrett Bane came on in relief of starter Shawn Talkington to start the sixth. After giving up a walk and a single to the first two batters he faced he got a fielder's choice and retired six in a row to pick up his third save. Long was two for two with two RBI, two runs, a hit by pitch and the intentional walk to reach base all four times.
Central Oklahoma got on top in the second game scring a pair of first inning runs off Emporia State starter Travis Hendry. But that would be the only runs off Hendry as he settled down and threw six shutout innings after the first to keep the Hornets in the game. Long led off the fourth with a walk and came home on Wheat's single to cut the lead in half. Long tied the game in the fifth with a two out solo home run. With one out in the seventh Long was hit by a pitch and after a walk and a fielder's choice Tory Bell hit a pinch hit two RBI single that put the Hornets ahead 4-2. UCO got two runners on in the bottom of the seventh but Hendry struck out the Broncho clean up hitter to end the game.
Emporia State will wrap up the four game series on Monday with a single game against Central Oklahoma starting at 12 noon in Edmond, Okla.
