#38 Emporia State Hornets (2-1, 0-0 MIAA)
vs. Metro State (0-0, 0-0 RMAC)
Feb. 12 • 12:00 p.m. • Regency Athletic Complex • Denver, Colo.
Feb. 13 • 12:00 p.m. • Regency Athletic Complex • Denver, Colo.
Feb. 14 • 12:00 p.m. • Regency Athletic Complex • Denver, Colo.
Series Record: ESU leads 3-0 Last Meeting: at ESU 9, Metro 0 (Feb. 8, 2015)
Live Stats Complete Notes in pdfUp Next: at Tarleton State • Feb 19-21 • Stephenville, Texas
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH
The #38 Hornets will begin a nine game road trip with a three game series against Metro State in Denver, Colo.
LAST AT BAT
The #38 Hornets opened the 2016 season at home against #31 Colo. State-Pueblo, winning the series 2-1. Dalton Wheat and Levi Ashmore each went four for 11 in the series. Wade Hanna was three for nine at the plate. Wheat had five RBI in the three games with two doubles and two stolen bases. The Hornets were eight of eight on stolen bases for the weekend.
Nathan Gieber had seven strikeouts through 6.0 shutout innings in the finale, allowing only three hits. He combined with Jordan Plank whoe struck out five in 3.0 innings for the shutout. Tyler Stubblefield had eight strikeouts through 4.2 innings pitched, allowing two hits and one unearned run out of the pen in game two. Garrett Brummett had seven K in 3.0 innings while Matt Slauter struck out four in 4.0 innings to pick up the win in the opener.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 486-211 in his 13th season at Emporia State and is 792-324 overall in his 20th 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 15 times, and was the national runner-up in 2009 with Emporia State and in 2000 while at Ft. Hays State.
Jerrid Oates is 77-109 entering his fifth season as head coach at Metro State.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State pitching is ranked third in the MIAA with a 3.00 ERA after the opening weekend. The Hornets struck out 37 ThunderWolves over the weekend. Nathan Gieber was named MIAA Pitcher of the Week. Gieber, Jordan Plank, and Tyler Stubblefield all have a 0.00 ERA after pitching over the weekend. When Plank pitches, opponents have a .100 batting average, a .133 batting average when Stubblefield pitches, and a .150 batting average when Gieber pitches. Stubblefield sits third in the MIAA with eight strikeouts. Garrett Brummett and Gieber each have seven strikeouts, tied for fourth.
The Hornets have a .266 batting average on the season, with 14 RBI and three home runs. Dalton Wheat is tied for third in the MIAA with his 5 RBI. Wheat is also in the top ten in stolen bases and doubles. Ryan McBroom joins Wheat with a top spot in doubles. Evan Koehler, Wade Hanna, and BJ Dean all claim top ten spots in the MIAA for earning a homerun each over their opening weekend.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
Metro State went 28-22 last season, 21-14 in the RMAC. The RoadRunners won the RMAC Tournament last season. Hunter Donaldson led the Roadrunners with 30 RBI last season. Mitch Gibbons hit a .342 in 2015.
THE SERIES
Emporia State and Metro State first met last year for the season opener. The Hornets won the series 3-0.
ON DECK
The Hornets will travel to Stephenville, Texas next weekend to take on Tartleton State. The three game series is set to begin on Friday, Feb. 19 at 3:00 p.m.
HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 792 career wins and is 486-211 (.697) in his 13th 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. The Hornets have made ten trips to the NCAA Tournament in his first 12 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 15 of his 19 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 five times.
He is the fourth winningest active coach in NCAA Division II and ranks 15th in career victories with a 790-323 record as he begins his 20th season.
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.
A native of Lenexa, Kan., he was an honorable mention All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference catcher for the Hornets as a senior after transferring from Butler County CC. He is married to the former Jill Harris of Madison, Kan. The couple has three daughters - Emma, Rylie and Addison.
COMEBACK KIDS
The Hornets had 24 come from behind wins last season including 13 games when trailing in the fourth inning or later. In the last two years Emporia State has played in 12 post season elimination games with ten wins. Dean Long hit a walk off three-run homer with two outs in Emporia State's 10-9 win over Missouri Southern in the first MIAA Tournament Championship game last season. The Hornets were being no hit and trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning of the first MIAA Championship game in 2014 before rallying for a 3-2 victory to prolong their season.
REGIONALLY SPEAKING
Emporia State was ranked third in the NCAA Central Region last year and was one of two MIAA teams in the regional tournament. The automatic qualifiers from the MIAA, NSIC and GAC along with the next three highest ranked regional teams make up the NCAA Central Regional Tournament. As a conference the MIAA was 74-67 against non-league opponents last year.
POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT
Emporia State was ranked in the top 15 nationally in seven offensive categories last year. The Hornets were ranked third in the nation in home runs, seventh in slugging percentage, ninth in runs scored, tenth in stolen bases, 11th in doubles, and 12th in hits. Emporia State and Seton Hill were the only two teams in the nation to be ranked in the top 11 in doubles, home runs and stolen bases.
HORNETS IN THE POSTSEASON
Last season Emporia State made their 11th trip to the NCAA Tournament and tenth in 12 years. The Hornets have advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series twice, in 2006 and 2009. In 2009 they made it to the national championship game before falling 2-1 to Lynn. They have been to three regional championship games including a 6-3 loss to Minnesota State in 2014. Emporia State made five trips to the NAIA World Series before joining the NCAA in 1992. They were the NAIA National Champions in 1978, runners up in 1987 and finished third in 1976.
