HORNET BASEBALL TAKES ON FT. HAYS STATE IN FINAL ROAD SERIES

Emporia State Hornets (27-10, 17-10 MIAA)
at
Ft. Hays State Tigers (14-24, 11-17 MIAA)
April 18, 2015 • 2:00 p.m. • Larks Park • Hays, Kan.  
April 19, 2015 • 1:00 p.m. • Larks Park • Hays, Kan.  
Series Record: ESU leads 133-63  Last Meeting: at FHSU 6, ESU 3 (March 30, 2014)   
Radio: None Internet Audio: FHSU Broadcast of second game each day
Live Stats  Complete Release in pdf
Up Next: Newman • April 22, 2015 • 6:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Topeka, Kan.

FINAL ROAD TRIP
The Hornets travel to western Kansas for their final regular season road trip and a four game series at Ft. Hays State.

LAST AT BAT
Every starter reached base as Emporia State pounded out 19 hits, were hit three times, had two walks and twice reached on errors in a 15-7 win over Washburn on Tuesday in Topeka.  Dalton Wheat was five for five with two triples, four runs scored and two RBI. He is eight for 11 since coming back from an injury three games ago. Dean Long went two for six with a double, a homer, five RBI and two runs scored. Justin Harris was three for six with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored as he extended his hitting streak to 22 games.The top five batters all had at least two hits for Emporia State. Jagger Harjo pitched 4.2 innings, giving up seven runs on ten hits with four strikeouts. Jarrod Miller was credited with the win as he pitched 1.1 innings and only gave up two hits. Travis Hendry and Shawn Talkington worked perfect eighth and ninth innings getting four of their six outs by strikeout.

THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is Bob Fornelli is 472-204 in his 12th season at Emporia State and is 778-317 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. He is 34-10 against the Tigers since coming to Emporia State.
Steve Johnson is 346-277 in his fifth season at Ft. Hays State. He is 4-10 against the Hornets.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 27-10 on the season, 17-10 in the MIAA. In the latest NCAA statistics the Hornets are ranked second in the nation in slugging percentage, third in doubles per game, sixth in home runs per game, and seventh in batting average and stolen bases per game.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Ft. Hays State is 14-24 on the year and 11-17 in the MIAA. They have eight of their last 11 games, including series wins against Missouri Western and Pittsburg State in MIAA play. The Tigers lead the MIAA in home runs with 59. Kevin Czarnecki is batting .407 with ten doubles, ten homers, 32 RBI and 44 runs scored. Cooper Langley is batting .305 with 15 home runs, 11 doubles and 49 RBI.

THE SERIES
The first game of the series will be the 197th time the two have met with Emporia State holding a 133-63 advantage in the series. The Hornets have won 25 of the last 30 meetings between the two.

LAST AT BAT VS. FT. HAYS STATE
Emporia State grounded into two double plays and still stranded seven runners in a 6-3 loss at Ft. Hays State.  Wade Hanna and Zach Stucky both reached to start the ninth and bring the tying run to the plate for the Hornets with no outs. But a foul out and ground ball double play ended the threat and gave the Tigers the win. Dean Long had a two run home run and Hanna had an RBI ground out for Emporia State.

HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 778 career wins and is 472-204 (.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 five 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 second in the nation in slugging percentage, third in doubles per game, sixth in home runs per game, and seventh in batting average and stolen bases per game.  

IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS
Justin Harris leads the nation in doubles, is ranked fourth in batting average, fifth in stolen bases, sixth in runs per game and on base percentage and ninth in hits. He has a .561 on base percentage when leading off an inning. He enters the series on a 22 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 sixth in the nation in total home runs, is seventh in RBI per game and third in getting hit by pitch. He is leading the MIAA in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.    

MOUND PRESENCE
Emporia State's pitchers have 252 strike outs and 105 walks in 294.2 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 11 appearances with eight starts and is 7-1 on the season with a 3.99 ERA. He has 36 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 5.23 ERA and 41 strikeouts on the season. He is 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA and six saves in 12 appearances out of the bullpen. He has 25 strikeouts and just two walks in 19.0 relief innings. He has 189 career strikeouts and to rank seventh all-time at Emporia State.

ON DECK
The Hornets return to Trusler for the final five games of the regular season starting on April 22 against Newman. First pitch from Glennen Field is set for 6:00 p.m.