April 2, 2015-Emporia State pounded out 14 hits with three home runs in a 10-6 win at Neb.-Kearney on Thursday afternoon to open their four game series in Kearney, Neb.
Dean Long gave the Hornets a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with a two out home run. Justin Harris made it 3-0 with a home run of his own in the top of the second that plated Cody Bobbit. The Lopers answered with four runs in the bottom of the third highlighted by a three run home run from Brandon Landanger. UNK still had two runners on when Travis Hendry got a strike out to end the inning with Emporia State trailing by one run.
The Hornets tied the game in the fifth when Harris led off with a single and would eventually come around to score on an Evan Koehler double.Emporia State took an 8-4 lead with four runs, three of them unearned, in the top of the seventh. Jordan Hodges pinch hit for Tyler Beebe and reached on an error to lead off the inning and Harris was hit by a pitch. After they were sacrificed over Long was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Koehler then delivered a two run double to give the Hornets a 6-4 lead. Wade Hanna hit a sac fly to score Long before Price Jacobs hit a triple to put Emporia State up 8-4.
The Lopers first two batters reached in the bottom of the seventh and Shane Davies relieved Hendry. A strike out and a walk loaded the bases before Dillon Schroeder hit a sac fly to make it 8-5 Hornets. Davies got the first two batters out in the eighth when Shane Sharkey chased him with a solo home run. Shawn Talkington came in and got a ground out to end the inning.
Long was hit by a pitch for the second straight plate appearance to lead off the ninth and Koehler followed with a two run homer to put Emporia State back up by four runs. The Hornets had the bases loaded with one out but a 1-2-3 double play ended the inning. Talkington gave up a one out single then retired the final two batters to pick up his fourth save in his last five appearances.
Koehler was four for five with a homer, two doubles, five RBI and two runs scored for the Hornets. Harris was two for four with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored. Long was just one for three but scored three runs and had a solo homer. Hendry went 6.0+ innings to improve to 6-1 on the season.
The two teams continue their series with a double header on Friday starting at 1:00 p.m. in Kearney, Neb.
