Emporia State Hornets (26-10, 17-10 MIAA)
at Washburn Ichabods (22-16, 15-13 MIAA)
April 14, 2015 • 6:00 p.m. • Falley Field • Topeka, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 166-72-1 Last Meeting: at ESU 15, WU 5 (April 7, 2015)
Radio: None Internet Audio: None
vs. Central Missouri Mules (23-16, 18-10 MIAA)
April 15, 2015 • 6:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: UCM leads 119-58 Last Meeting: ESU 6, UCM 3 (March 24, 2015)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Up Next: at Washburn • April 14, 2015 • Falley Field • Topeka, Kan.
RIVALRY WEEK NON-CON STYLE
The Hornets take on Washburn and Central Missouri in a pair of non-conference games during a very busy week. Emporia State will play six games in six days in three cities. The Mules and Ichabods played over the weekend with UCM winning three of the four games.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State used a walk-off sacrifice fly by Dalton Wheat to earn a 10-9 win over Northwest Missouri and take the series three games to one. The Hornets got off to a big lead early in the ball game, leading 8-3 after three innings. The Bearcats fought back late scoring two in the seventh and three in the eighth. With two on and one out, the Bearcats intentionally walked Justin Harris to load the bases and Wheat delivered by lifting a fly ball to left that plated Levi Walker. Cody Bobbit had a two run homerun in the first inning for the Hornets. Jake Eikleberry got the start for the Hornets, he went 5.0 innings giving up three earned runs on nine hits with 5 strike outs. Shawn Talkington got the win for the Hornets, He went 3.0 innings gave up three earned runs on five hits.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is Bob Fornelli is 471-204 in his 12th season at Emporia State and is 777-317 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.
Harley Douglas is 22-16 in his first season at Washburn.
Kyle Crookes is 23-16 in his first season at Central Missouri.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 26-10 on the season, 17-10 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.
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn is 22-16 on the year and 15-13 in the MIAA. They have gone 8-16 since opening the season 14-0 before the Hornets handed them their first loss. They lead the nation in getting hit by a pitch.
THE SERIES
This will be the 240th meeting between the Hornets and Ichabods with Emporia State leading the series 166-72-1.
LAST AT BAT VS. WASHBURN
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.
SCOUTING THE Mules
Central Missouri is 23-16 on the year and 18-10 in the MIAA. They lead the MIAA in ERA at 4.12 but are 12th in the league in scoring at 6.00 runs per game.
THE SERIES
Central Missouri leads the all-time series 119-58 although Emporia State has won the last three meetings. The Hornets and Mules have combined to win 15 of the 16 MIAA Regular Season Championships in the 21st century.
LAST AT BAT VS. CENTRAL MO.
Emporia State scored three runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Central Missouri 6-3 in Warrensburg, Mo. Levi Parker scored from third on a throwing error and Evan Koehler delivered a two RBI double to put the Hornets up by three. Shawn Talkington came on to pitch the ninth and struck out the side for his second straight save.
HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 777 career wins and is 471-204 (.698) 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 and are the only team in the nation to be ranked in the top ten in home runs, stolen bases and doubles. 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.
IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS
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. He has a .578 on base percentage when leading off an inning. He enters the week on a 21 game hitting streak, the longest by a Hornet since Dillon Hazlett had a 32 game streak in 2011.
HIT IT LONG
Dean Long is ranked seventh in the nation in total home runs, ninth in RBI per game and third in getting hit by pitch. He is leading the MIAA in RBI and home runs per game.
MOUND PRESENCE
Emporia State's pitchers have 243 strike outs and 102 walks in 285.2 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.
STARTERS
Seven different players have started a game for the Hornets this year. Travis Hendry has ten appearances with eight starts and is 7-1 on the season with a 4.07 ERA. He has 34 strikeouts and just 15 walks. Garrett Brummett is the only pitcher to not see action out of the bull pen this season. He is 3-2 with a 4.57 ERA and leads Emporia State with 48 K's and only ten walks in 43.1 innings.
THE IRON THRONE
Shawn Talkington has moved into the closer role. He is 4-4 on the season with a 5.36 ERA and 39 strikeouts on the season. He is 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA and six saves in 11 appearances out of the bullpen. He has 23 strikeouts and just two walks in 18.0 relief innings. In his career Talkington has 187 strikeouts and is tied for seventh with Gabe Medina for seventh all-time at Emporia State.
ON DECK
The Hornets travel to Ft. Hays State for their final MIAA road series of the season. First pitch of the four game set is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Friday at Lark's Park in Hays, Kan.
