#19 Emporia State Hornets (15-5, 7-2 MIAA)
vs. Ft. Hays State Tigers (9-11, 3-6 MIAA)
March 18 • 5:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.
March 19 • 1:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.
March 20 • 12:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 136-64 • Last Meeting: at FHSU 12, ESU 10 (April 20, 2015)
Live Stats •
Complete Notes in pdfUp Next: at Missouri Western • March 22 • St. Joseph, Mo.
WE MEET AGAIN
The #19 Hornets return to the Trusler Sports Complex to take on Ft. Hays State in a three-game MIAA series.
LAST AT BAT
The #19 Hornets used a four run fourth inning and four innings of shut out pitching from their bullpen to secure a 7-5 win over Newman on Tuesday in Wichita, Kan. Daniel LaMunyon went two for four with a homer, a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Wade Hanna was two for five with a double, two runs and two RBI. Derek Francis had a single and double in four at bats with an RBI. Evan Koehler was one for two with a double, three walks and two runs scored. Jake Eikleberry went 5.0 innings, giving up five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts to pick up the win. Jason Tetuan gave up a lead off walk before retiring three straight to end the sixth. After getting a strike out to start the seventh, Shane Davies allowed the only hit by a Hornet reliever along with a walk before getting out of the inning with a ground out. Garrett Brummett worked a perfect eighth and ninth to record his fifth save of the year. He struck out the first two and last two batters he faced.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 499-215 in his 13th season at Emporia State and is 805-328 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. He is 37-11 against the Tigers.
Steve Johnson is 125-137 in his sixth year as head coach at Ft. Hays State. He is 5-13 against Emporia State.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 15-5 on the season, 7-2 and tied for first in the MIAA. The Hornet batters are ranked second in the nation in doubles, fourth in slugging percentage, eighth in batting average and ninth in home runs. They also lead the MIAA in doubles and triples. Evan Koehler is second in the nation with 11 home runs and is ranked ninth in slugging percentage adn 14th in home runs.
The Emporia State pitching staff is seventh in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings and eighth in strikeout to walk ratio. Tyler Stubblefield is fifth in the nation in total strikeouts while Garrett Brummett is third in saves.
As a team Emporia State is fourth in fielding percentage and third in the league with just 21 errors in 20 games.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Ft. Hays State is 9-11 on the season and 3-6 in the MIAA, with their first nine conference games at home. Alex Weiss is batting .443 with three homers and 18 RBI. Austin Unrein is batting .398 with four home runs and 27 RBI. Joe Mapes leads the team with five home runs. D.J. Carr is 1-2 with a 6.56 ERA in six starts
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series 136-64 and has won 37 of the last 50 meetings.
LAST TIME AGAINST FT. HAYS STATE
Emporia State took three of four from Ft. Hays State in Hays last year. The Hornets won the first three games 4-2, 12-11 and 11-5 before dropping the final game 12-10 at Larks Park.
ON DECK
The #19 Hornets will travel to Missouri Western on March 22 for the first of three midweek MIAA games with the Griffons.
HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 805 career wins and is 499-215 (.700) 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 805-328 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 lead the MIAA in eight offensive categories with 180 RBI, 30 home runs, 65 doubles, nine triples, 195 runs scored, 255 hits, .356 batting average and .598 slugging percentage. They have scored at least ten runs in eight games and at least 15 runs in six games. The Hornets are outscoring opponents 46-10 in the fourth inning.
Daniel LaMunyon is leading the MIAA with a .456 batting average. Evan Koehler is leading the league and ranked second in the nation with 11 home runs. Levi Ashmore has a league best 28 runs scored.
SWING AND MISS STUFF
The Hornets lead the MIAA with 182 strike outs with just 52 walks for a 3.5 strikeout to walk ratio. They are third in the league with a 3.86 ERA and fourth with a .255 opponent batting average. Tyler Stubblefield is leading the MIAA with 45 strikeouts and four victories on the season. He is third in teh league with a 2.21 ERA. Jordan Plank is ninth in the league with a 2.74 ERA and is tenth in strikeouts with 28 in 23.0 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.
