March 27, 2016-The #15 Hornets pounded out 32 hits and scored 21 runs in a double header sweep of Neb.-Kearney on Easter Sunday in Kearney, Neb. Emporia State won game one 14-6 and took the second game 7-6 to complete the three game sweep of the Lopers.
GAME ONE
The first four batters reached base and scored for the Hornets as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the matinee. Evan Koehler delivered a two run single in the first to start the scoring, while Derek Francis and BJ Dean added run scoring singles in the first as well. Daniel LaMunyon and Dalton Wheat each drove in a run in the second and Alex White had an RBI single in the third.
After Neb.-Kearney cut the lead to 7-2 with single runs in the third and fourth, Alex White knocked a three run homer in the fifth to make it 10-2. Emporia State went up 12-2 in the sixth on a sac fly from Francis. A solo home run from Josh Estrada in the bottom of the seventh kept the game from being a run rule. An Ashmore double and sac fly from Wade Hanna gave the Hornets a 14-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth before the Lopers scored three runs for the final score of 14-6.
Ashmore went four for six with four RBI and two runs scored while White was three for four with three runs scored and an RBI. Dean wasthree for four with two runs and an RBI as well. Matt Slauter allowed one earned run and two total on nine hits with seven strikeouts and no walks to pick up the win.
GAME TWO
The Hornets scored an unearned run in the the top of the first before the Lopers exploded for six runs in the bottom of the inning to take their first lead of the series. Jordan Plank started and struck out the first two batters he faced before allowing the next seven batters to reach base. Following a double, Plank hit a batter and then walked two straight, gave up another double and two singles before Jacob Tetuan relieved him and got a fly out to end the inning.
Neb.-Kearney maintained the lead until the sixth inning when Dalton Wheat and Tucker Perkins both reached on errors. BJ Dean singled to plate Wheat and after a strikeout Alex White drilled a two run double and would later score on a wild pitch to pull the Hornets within 6-5.
Tetuan and Shane Davies combined for 4.1 scoreless innings in relief before handing the ball to Garrett Brummett to start the bottom of the sixth. Brummett worked a shutdown bottom of the inning before the Hornets took the lead in the top of the seventh. Wheat led off with a double and scored on Perkins single to tie the game. After Dean reached on an error, Perkins scored on a double play to give Emporia State a 7-6 lead.
Brummet surrendered back to back singles with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but then settled down and retired the final eight batters he faced. He struck out the last five batters he faced, all in the heart of the Loper batting order, to improve to 2-1 on the year.
White was two for four with two RBI and an run scored while Dean went three for five with a run and and an RBI. Brummett worked the final 4.0 innings for the win, allowing just two hits while striking out five.
UP NEXT
Emporia State, who improved to 21-6 on the season and 13-3 in the MIAA, will be back in action on Wednesday, March 30 when they take on Missouri Western in the second of three mid-week games against the Griffons. First pitch from Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex is set for 5:00 p.m.
