#30 EMPORIA STATE PLAYS HOST TO NEWMAN ON TUESDAY

#30 Emporia State Hornets (9-3, 3-0 MIAA)
vs. Newman University (10-2, 0-0 Heartland)
March 1 • 3:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 46-18  Last Meeting: at ESU 10, Newman 5 (April 22, 2015)
Live Stats  Complete Release in pdf
Up Next: Lincoln University - Missouri • March 4-6 • Emporia, Kan.
 
HELLO, NEWMAN
The #30 Hornets will play host to Newman in coach Bob Fornelli's first chance at his 800th career win.
 
LAST AT BAT
The #30 Hornets swept Pittsburg State in the MIAA opening weekend, totaling 55 runs over three games. Emporia Sate had a .329 batting average over the weekend with nine home runs, nearly doubling the number of home runs from the first nine games. Evan Koehler went 10 for 15 over the weekend with ten RBI and three home runs. Daniel LaMunyon had a breakout weekend, going seven for 14 with eight RBI and six runs scored. Ryan McBroom was seven for 13 with nine runs and five RBI.
Tyler Stubblefield had seven strikeouts through seven innings on Friday night against the Gorillas, giving up three runs. Matt Slauter went 5.0 innings and allowed four runs in the Hornets 22-7 win on Saturday. Plank finished the sweep with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings and allowing just one earned run in the 20-5 win on Sunday.  The three starters combined for a 3.79 ERA while striking out 13 with just four walks.
 
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 493-213 in his 13th season at Emporia State and is 799-326 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.
Zane Ehling is 129-130 in his sixth year as head coach at Newman University.
 
ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets pitching staff is second in the MIAA with 111 strike outs and third with a .245 opponent batting average and a 3.81 ERA. Jordan Plank leads the MIAA with a 0.73 ERA. Tyler Stubblefield leads the conference with both 31 strike outs and 18 batters struck out looking.
The Hornets lead the MIAA in five categories with a .344 batting average, 111 RBI, 20 home runs, 37 doubles, and 119 runs. Evan Koehler is first in the MIAA with 21 RBI and eight home runs and second with a .980 slugging percentage and 17 runs. Levi Ashmore leads the conference with 18 runs. Wade Hanna is first with three triples.
 
SCOUTING THE JETS
Newman is 10-2 on the season and have won seven straight. The Jets have a combined 3.13 ERA. Tyler Bugner leads the Heartland with a .561 batting average, a .654 on base percentage and is second with nine stolen bases. Lucas Schauer is first in the Heartland with a .120 opponent batting average and second with a 0.78 ERA. Kane McCarthy is third in the conference with a .162 opponent batting average.
 
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series 46-18 over Newman.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST NEWMAN
The Hornets got on the board in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs with two outs to take a lead they would not give up. Emporia State went on to win 10-5 over the Jets. Jonny Hodges went two for four with two RBI. Jake Eikleberry picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
 
ON DECK
The #30 Hornets will host Lincoln - Mo. on March 4-6 for a three game series. The first pitch for the series will be Friday, March 4 at 3:00 p.m. at Glennen Field.
 
HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 799 career wins and is 493-213 (.698) 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 799-326 record in 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.
 
PUTTING UP RUNS
The Hornets are leading the MIAA in batting average, slugging percentage, runs, home runs, doubles and triples. They have scored at least ten runs in five games this year and hit 20 runs in the last two games.  It is the first time Emporia State has scored at least 20 runs in back to back games in their 25 years as members of the MIAA and NCAA.   Evan Koehler is leading the MIAA with eight home runs and 21 RBI on the season.
 
SWING AND MISS STUFF
Emporia State pitchers lead the MIAA with 111 strikeouts on the season while only walking 28.The Hornets are third in the league in ERA at 3.81 and are keeping opponents to just a .245 batting average to rank third as well. The bullpen has been especially tough with a 2.74 ERA while holding opponents to just a .201 batting average in 46.0 innings.  Emporia State is 6-0 when leading after six innings on the year. Jordan Plank is leading the MIAA with a 0.73 ERA. Tyler Stubblefield is leading the MIAA with 31 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
 
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.
 
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.