February 6, 2016 - The #38 Hornets fell in the ninth inning 5-4 to #31 Colorado State - Pueblo on Saturday afternoon at the Trusler Sports Complex. The series is even at one win a piece with the rubber game set for Sunday afternoon.
DRY SPELL
The ThunderWolves took the lead early, scoring a run on a single to center field in the first inning. CSU - Pueblo scored two runs in the second inning from a single to right field to go up 3-0. Another single up the middle in the fourth inning brought another run in for the ThunderWolves to put them up 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth.
HOT BATS
The Hornets scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Derek Francis singled to left field to begin Emporia State's half of the inning. With a runner on first and no outs, Wade Hanna homered to centerfield, closing the gap 4-2. Following Hanna, BJ Dean would single to left field. Levi Ashmore out ran a sacrifice bunt to move Dean to second. With two outs in the inning, Dalton Wheat doubled to left field, sending Dean and Ashmore home to tie the game at 4-4.
THUNDERWOLVES TAKE THE GAME
A lead off homerun in the top of the ninth inning by Francis Griffin would decide the game, gave the Thunderwolves a 5-4 lead headed to the bottom of the ninth.
THE NUMBERS
Wheat went two for four on the day with two RBI. Hanna also had two RBI against the Thunderwolves. The Hornets used four pitchers in the game. In his debut as a Hornet, Tyler Stubblefield pitched 4.2 innings of relief, allowing two hits, one run, and striking out eight before giving way to Nathan Whitcomb to start the ninth.
UP NEXT
The two teams will wrap up their series on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 12:00 p.m. at Trusler Sports Complex.
