EMPORIA STATE BASEBALL HOSTS PITTSBURG STATE IN FINAL REGULAR SEASON ACTION

Emporia State Hornets (31-11, 20-11 MIAA)
vs.
Pittsburg State Gorillas (17-26, 11-17 MIAA)
April 24, 2015 • 2:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.  
April 25, 2015 • 1:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.  
April 26, 2015 • 12:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.  
Series Record: ESU leads 71-34  Last Meeting: at PSU 7, ESU 6 (Feb. 28, 2014)   
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (Sunday only) Internet Audio: kvoe.com (Sunday only)
Live Stats  Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: MIAA Opening Round • April 30, 2015 • TBA • TBA

REGULAR SEASON FINALE
Emporia State takes on Pittsburg State in the final regular season series of the season with home field in the MIAA Opening Round Series at stake. The Hornets magic number for clinching home field advantage for the Opening Round Series is two. Any combination of two Emporia State wins or losses by Washburn or Nebraska-Kearney would guarantee Trusler would be the host of an MIAA Opening Round Series.

LAST AT BAT
The Hornets began their final regular season home stand and finished the non-conference portion of their schedule undefeated with a 10-5 win over Newman on Wednesday at the Trusler Sports Complex. Jonny Hodges was two for four with two RBI while Jordan Hodges went two for four with two runs scored for the Hornets.  Jake Eikleberry got the win, going 5.0 innings and surrendering three runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Four different pitchers combined over the final four innings to preserve the win.

THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 476-205 in his 12th season at Emporia State and is 782-318 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 33-10 against Pittsburg State since coming to Emporia State.
Matt Murray is 64-82 in his third season at Pittsburg State. He is 3-5 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 31-11 on the season, 20-11 in the MIAA. In the latest NCAA statistics the Hornets are ranked fourth in the nation in slugging percentage, fifth in doubles per game, sixth in home runs per game, eighth in stolen bases per game and tenth in batting average.

SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 17-26 overall and 11-17 in the MIAA. They are battling for one of the final spots in the Opening Round of the MIAA Tournament. Andrew Kreiling is hitting .399 with six home runs and 50 runs scored while Drake Herrman is 4-0 with a 6.12 earned run average out of the pen.

THE SERIES
Friday's game will be the 106th meeting between the Hornets and Gorillas with Emporia State leading 71-34.

LAST AT BAT VS. PITT STATE
Each team got a home run in their last at bat to post wins as Emporia State split a double header at Pittsburg State.  With the 6-5 Hornet win and 7-6 Gorilla victory the teams split their four game series.  With one out in the top of the seventh Dean Long hit his fourth home run of the year to give the Hornets a 6-5 lead in the matinee. Brenton Higgins pitched a shut out over the final 2.2 innings to earn the win. In the night cap Brad Foss hit a walk off homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth for the Gorillas.

ON DECK
The Hornets have guaranteed themselves a spot in the MIAA Opening Round Series. If they finish in the top four of the league they will host the three game series starting April 30 at 6:00 p.m.

HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 782 career wins and is 476-205 (.699) 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.

REGIONALLY SPEAKING
Emporia State is the highest ranked MIAA team in the NCAA Central Region and are ranked third in this week's rankings. The automatic qualifiers from the MIAA, NSIC and GAC along with the next three highest ranked regional teams will make the NCAA Tournament.  All Division II games count in the regional rankings and the Hornets 11-0 non-conference record against D2 teams has helped position them so high in the region despite being in third place in the MIAA standings.

 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 fourth in the nation in slugging percentage, fifth in doubles per game, sixth in home runs per game, eighth in stolen bases per game and tenth in scoring and batting average.  

IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS
Justin Harris leads the nation in doubles, is ranked fifth in batting average and stolen bases, sixth in total hits, eighth in runs. His 24 doubles rank fifth on the Emporia State single season list and his 35 two baggers in two years are tenth on the career list for the Hornets. He has a .526 on base percentage when leading off an inning. He is on a 27 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 hit by pitch, seventh in RBI, ninth in home runs and 15th in slugging percentage. His 16 home runs rank seventh on the Emporia State single season list while his 30 home runs over the last two years is tied for third on the Hornets career list. He has reached base safely in 34 straight games and has been on base in every game this year.

MOUND PRESENCE
Emporia State's pitchers have 283 strike outs and 119 walks in 336.2 innings and rank 43rd in the nation in strike out to walk ratio. 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 12 appearances with nine starts and is 8-1 on the season with a 3.93 ERA. He has 40 strikeouts and just 15 walks. Garrett Brummett is 3-2 with a 5.79 ERA and leads Emporia State with 53 K's and only ten walks in 46.2 innings.

THE IRON THRONE
Shawn Talkington has moved into the closer role. He is 5-4 on the season with a 4.60 ERA and 47 strikeouts on the season. He is 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA and seven saves in 14 appearances out of the bullpen. He has 31 strikeouts and just three walks in 24.2 relief innings. He has 198 career strikeouts and to rank seventh all-time at Emporia State.