EMPORIA STATE BASEBALL HOSTS WASHBURN IN NON-CONFERENCE TURNPIKE TUSSLE

Emporia State Hornets (22-9, 14-9 MIAA)
vs.
Washburn Ichabods (21-12, 14-10 MIAA)
April 7, 2015 • 6:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.  
 Series Record: ESU leads 165-72-1  
Last Meeting: WU 12, at ESU 7 (March 15, 2015)   
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Live Stats  Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: vs. Northwest Missouri • April 9-11, 2015 • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.

TURNPIKE TUSSLE II
The Hornets begin a five game homestand with a non-conference game against Washburn. It is the fifth of six scheduled games this season in the baseball version of the Turnpike Tussle.

LAST AT BAT
Emporia State pounded out 15 hits in a 13-10 win at Neb.-Kearney to earn a split of the four game series.  Dean Long gave the Hornets a 1-0 lead with a solo homer only to see the Lopers answer with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Back to back doubles from Price Jacobs and Cody Bobbit followed by a two run home run by Levi Parker gave the Hornets a 4-1 lead before Long drove in Justin Harris to make it 5-1 Hornets in the second. The Lopers took a 6-5 lead with five runs in the fifth.  Emporia State was able to answer with three runs on just one hit in the top of the sixth to retake the lead. Tory Bell gave Emporia State the lead with a pinch hit sac fly and Jonny Hodges delivered an RBI single to give the Hornets an 8-6 lead. Emporia State opened the seventh with four consecutive hits on their way to a five run inning. The Lopers scored three in the seventh and one in the eighth before Shawn Talkington retired the final five batters he faced for the save.

THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is Bob Fornelli is 467-203 in his 12th season at Emporia State and is 773-316 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.
Harley Douglas is 21-12 in his first season at Washburn.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 22-9 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, seventh in stolen bases per game and ninth in batting average.  Justin Harris is leading the MIAA and ranked fifth nationally in batting average and stolen bases. Dean Long leads the MIAA in home runs and RBI per game, ranking fifth nationally in homers and sixth in RBI.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn is 21-12 on the year and 14-10 in the MIAA. They have gone 7-12 since opening the season 14-0 before the Hornets handed them their first loss. They lead the nation in getting hit by a pitch and are ninth in the nation in triples.

THE SERIES
This will be the 239th meeting between the Hornets and Ichabods with Emporia State leading the series 165-72-1.

LAST AT BAT VS. WASHBURN
Emporia State dropped the final game of their series against Washburn 12-7. The Ichabods got off to a fast start, scoring four runs before the Hornets recorded an out, and five runs total in the first inning. Dean Long led the Hornets  with three hits including a solo home run in the 4th inning. Justin Harris added a three run double in the 8th. Jarrod Miller got the loss for the Hornets. He went 1.0 inning, giving up five earned runs on six hits with one walk and one strikeout.

ON DECK
The Hornets take on Northwest Missouri in a four game series this weekend at the Trusler Sports Complex.  First pitch for game one on Friday is set for 6:00 p.m. at Glennen Field.

He's a winner
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 773 career wins and is 467-203 (.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, ninth in batting average and tenth in on base percentage.  Justin Harris is fifth in the nation in batting average and total stolen bases, seventh in runs per game and tenth in on base percentage and doubles per game. Dean Long is ranked fifth in the nation in total home runs, sixth in RBI per game and eighth in slugging percentage.

MOUND PRESENCE
Emporia State's starting pitchers have 106 strike outs with just 42 walks in 140.2 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. 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.