EMPORIA STATE BASEBALL HOSTS WEEKEND SERIES WITH NORTHWEST MISSOURI

Emporia State Hornets (23-9, 14-9 MIAA)
vs. Northwest Missouri Bearcats (18-17, 13-11 MIAA)
April 10-12, 2015 • 6/1/12 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.  
Series Record: ESU leads 54-32   Last Meeting: at ESU 11, NWMSU 7 (April 19, 2014)   
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (Sunday only) Internet Audio: kvoe.com (Sunday only)
Up Next: at Washburn • April 14, 2015 • Falley Field • Topeka, Kan.

HOME STRETCH
The Hornets have three MIAA series remaining starting with this weekend's match up with Northwest Missouri. Emporia State will play two of the final three series at Trusler and have a ten of their final 16 games at Glennen Field. The Hornets are half a game out of third place in the MIAA and one of five teams within two games of third in the league.

LAST AT BAT
Evan Koehler hit three home runs and a triple to lead Emporia State to a 15-5 run rule win over Washburn in seven innings at the Trusler Sports Complex on Tuesday.  The Hornets trailed 3-1 headed to the bottom of the third when they tied the game on a two run home run from Koehler and took the lead for good when Jacobs followed him with a solo shot. Koehler finished four for four with three home runs, six RBI, a triple and four runs scored and his last home run ended the game in the bottom of the seventh. Levi Parker was three for four with a triple and three RBI while Price Jacobs went two for four with a homer and two RBI.  Jagger Harjo went 6.2 innings to get the win, scattering ten hits and allowing five runs with three strike outs and one walk.

THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is Bob Fornelli is 468-203 in his 12th season at Emporia State and is 774-316 overall in his 19th year as a four year head coach. He is the fourth winningest active coach in NCAA Division II and is 15th in total victories. He has led Emporia State to two Division II World Series appearances in nine NCAA Tournaments. Fornelli has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament 14 times, and was the national runner-up in 2009 with Emporia State and in 2000 while at Ft. Hays State.
Darin Loe is 407-412 in his 16th season at Northwest Missouri and 563-546 overall in his 22nd year overall as a head coach.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 23-9 on the season, 14-9 in the MIAA. In the latest NCAA statistics the Hornets are ranked third in the nation in doubles per game, fourth in homers per game and slugging percentage, and seventh in batting average and stolen bases per game.  Justin Harris is leading the MIAA and ranked seventh nationally in batting average and runs per game. Dean Long leads the MIAA in home runs and RBI per game, ranking seventh nationally in homers and ninth in RBI.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 18-17 on the year and 13-11 in the MIAA. They lead the MIAA and are ranked 18th in the nation in walks earned. Nick Gotta, Garrett Fort and Austin Wulf are ranked 1-2-3 in the MIAA in individual walks.

THE SERIES
Friday's game will be the 87th meeting between the Hornets and Bearcats with Emporia State leading the series 54-32. The Hornets have won 24 of the last 27 games between the two.

LAST AT BAT VS. NORTHWEST MO.
Emporia State swept Northwest Missouri with an 11-7 win in the final game of the series. Levi Parker's two run double was the big hit of a four run fourth inning and put Emporia State ahead for good. Long capped off a six RBI game with a three run homer in the bottom of the eighth to give Emporia State an 11-7 lead.Long finished the game three for five with six RBI and two runs scored while Parker went two for four with two RBI and two runs scored.  Travis Hendry worked the first 5.1 inning allowing four runs on seven hits to pick up the win. Brenton Higgins worked the final 2.1 innings, coming in with the potential go ahead run on base, retiring seven straight to pick up his ninth save of the year.

He's a winner
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 774 career wins and is 468-203 (.697) in his 12th season at Emporia State. Fornelli is the second winningest coach at Emporia State behind Dave Bingham who was 557-223 (.714) in 14 years from 1974-87. Last year was the Hornets ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament in 11 years and he has twice led Emporia State to the Division II World Series, in 2006 and 2009. He has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament in 14 of his 18 years as a collegiate coach.
Fornelli, a 1991 graduate of Emporia State, spent seven years at Ft. Hays State where he compiled a 306-113 record and led the Tigers to the NCAA Division II national championship game in 2000 and was in the NCAA regional tournament six times.
Prior to his time in Hays, Fornelli was the pitching coach at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kan., from 1991 until 1996. During his tenure the Grizzlies were 195-86 and finished third in the NJCAA World Series in 1994.
Fornelli, a native of Lenexa, Kan., was an honorable mention All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference catcher for the Hornets as a senior after transferring from BCCC. He is married to the former Jill Harris of Madison, Kan. The couple has three daughters - Emma, Rylie and Addison.

POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT
Emporia State is ranked in the top ten nationally in six offensive categories. The Hornets are ranked third in the nation in doubles per game, fourth in slugging percentage and home runs per game, seventh in stolen bases per game and batting average and ninth in on base percentage.  Justin Harris is second in the nation in total doubles, fifth in total stolen bases, sixth in on base percentage, seventh in batting average and runs per game. Dean Long is ranked seventh in the nation in total home runs, ninth in RBI per game and third in getting hit by pitch.

MOUND PRESENCE
Emporia State's starting pitchers have 109 strike outs with just 43 walks in 147.1 innings. Last season the Hornet pitching staff was third in the nation in strikeout to walk ratio with 427 K's and only 132 base on balls. Travis Hendry is 6-1 on the season with a 3.89 ERA. He has 30 strikeouts and just 15 walks. Garrett Brummett is 3-1 with a 4.42 ERA and leads Emporia State with 41 K's and only six walks in 38.2 innings. Shawn Talkington has moved into the closer role. He is 3-4 on the season with a 5.20 ERA and 37 strikeouts on the season. He is 1-2 with a 3.21 ERA and five saves in nine appearances out of the bullpen. He has 21 strikeouts and just two walks in 14.0 relief innings. In his career Talkington has 185 strikeouts to rank eighth all-time at Emporia State.

ON DECK
The Hornets have a pair of midweek, non-conference rivalry games on tap.  Emporia State will travel to Topeka for the sixth and final regular season Turnpike Tussle on Tuesday, April 14 before returning to Trusler on Wednesday to take on Central Missouri. Both games are scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.