Emporia State Hornets (37-16, 27-12 MIAA)
vs. Missouri Western Griffons (37-17, 26-13 MIAA)
MIAA Tournament
Series Record: ESU leads 104-44 Last Meeting: MWSU 6 (May 14, 2016)
May 15, 2016 • 12:30 p.m. • Lou Brock Sports Complex • St. Charles, Mo.
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Up Next: Winner to MIAA Championship Game
May 15, 2016 • 4:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY
Emporia State takes on Missouri Western in the bracket one championship game for the right to advance to the MIAA Tournament championship.
LAST AT BAT
mporia State scored three runs in the ninth but could not complete the comeback in a 6-5 loss to Missouri Western. Daniel LaMunyon singled with out in the top of the ninth and went to second when Taylor Steen walked. Dalton Wheat delivered a single through the right side to score LaMunyon. Jonny Hodges walked to load the bases. Derek Francis was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Evan Koehler reached on the fielder's choice and scored Wheat to pull the Hornets within a run. McBroom hit a ground ball to short for a force out that ended the game. Wheat went three for five with two RBI, two run scored, and a double. Francis finished one for four with two RBI. Jordan Plank took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in 5.0+ innings with seven strike outs.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 521-226 in his 13th season at Emporia State and is 827-339 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 34-20 against the Griffons. He is 32-24 in all MIAA Tournament games.
Buzz Verduzco is 500-365 in his 17th year as head coach at Mo. Western. He is 23-42 against the Hornets.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 37-16 on the season, 27-12 in the MIAA, are the #2 seed in the MIAA Tournament and were ranked #7 this week in the Central Region. The Hornets are ranked fourth in the nation in runs scored, fifth in fielding percentage and hits, ninth in doubles and tenth in slugging percentage. Evan Koehler is ranked third in the nation in home runs and seventh in RBI. Dalton Wheat is on a 24 game hitting streak and hit .464 in MIAA games this season. Wheat is batting .471 in four games against Missouri Western while Koehler has a team best five RBI in four games. Matt Slauter picked up the lone win for Emporia State against MWSU, giving up two runs in 5.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western is 37-17, 26-13 in the MIAA, are the #3 seed in the MIAA and ranked #6 in the Central Region. Landon Mason is hitting .407 on the year and .615 in three games against Emporia State this year. Nick Gawley has six RBI in four games against the Hornets.
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series 104-44 over Missouri Western. This will be their fourth meeting in the MIAA Tournament in the last three years. The Hornets won two games from the Griffons to capture the 2014 MIAA Tournament.
ON DECK
The winner will advance to take on the winner of the game between Central Missouri and Washburn for the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The championship game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the Hornets and Griffons game ends.
HE'S A WINNER
Emporia State head baseball coach Bob Fornelli has 827 career wins and is 521-226 (.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 827-339 (.709) 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.
HORNETS IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT
The Hornets have won two MIAA Tournament Championships and been involved in seven of the last 11 championship games. Since Coach Fornelli took over in 2004 Emporia State is 23-18 in final site games at the MIAA Tournament. Last season the Hornets were 3-1 in the MIAA Tournament and defeated Missouri Southern 10-9 on Dean Long's walk-off home run in the final game played. The Lions were named the winner as the highest remaining seed when the if necessary game was rained out. It was the second time in eight years that Emporia State had been on the wrong end of a rain out situation in the championship game of the MIAA Tournament. In 2008 the tournament was shortened by rain and the final game was declared a winner take all as Central Missouri defeated Emporia State 4-3 for the Hornets only loss of the tourney after they had defeated the Mules 11-4 earlier in the tournament.
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. The Hornets are tenth in the first regional rankings this season.
PUTTING UP RUNS
The Hornets lead the MIAA in five offensive categories with 475 runs scored, 432 RBI, 626 hits, 124 doubles, a .337 batting average, a .537 slugging percentage and a .974 fielding percentage, they are second in the league with 69 home runs, and third with 81 stolen bases. Emporia State is fourth in the nation in runs scored, fifth in hits and fielding percentage, ninth in doubles, tenth in slugging percentage, 14th in home runs and 16th in batting average. They have scored at least ten runs in 21 games and at least 15 runs in ten games with four games in which they have scored at least 20 runs.
Evan Koehler is leading the MIAA and third in the nation with 22 home runs, is second in the MIAA and seventh in the nation with 72 RBI and is third in the league and ranks 14th nationally with a .762 slugging percentage. He is fifth in the MIAA with 40 walks and ranks eighth with 59 runs scored. Dalton Wheat is leading the league with a .412 batting average, is ranked second in hits with 84 and doubles with 21, is fifth with 60 RBI, is sixth with 18 stolen bases, seventh with a .485 on base percentage, is ninth with four triples and tenth with a .642 slugging percentage. He is on a 24 game hitting streak. Wade Hanna is fifth in the MIAA with six triples. Derek Francis ranks sixth in the MIAA with five sac flies.
SWING AND MISS STUFF
The Hornets are leading the MIAA with 419 strike outs and are second with a 4.35 ERA and three shut outs, while ranking fourth in the league with only 169 walks. Emporia State is 35th in the nation in strike outs per innings pitched.
Tyler Stubblefield is a semifinalist for the Brett Tomko Award as the top pitcher in NCAA Division II. He leads the MIAA with nine wins and a 2.57 ERA. He is fourth in the league with 90 strike outs and 94.2 innings pitched while his opponents batting average of .236 ranks eighth in the MIAA. Garrett Brummett is sixth in the MIAA in with five saves before moving into the starting rotation. He is eighth in the league with 78 strike outs, ninth with a 3.48 ERA and tenth with a .249 opponents batting average. Matt Slauter has allowed an MIAA low nine walks on the season and leads the league with a 5.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.34 walks allowed per nine innings. He is ninth in the league with six wins. Jordan Plank is tenth in the MIAA with 68 strike outs and ranks seventh with seven wins.
TRENDS
Emporia State is outscoring opponents 90-22 in the fourth inning.
The Hornets are 21-0 when scoring in the first inning.
Emporia State is 33-3 when leading after the sixth inning.
The Hornets are 31-1 when scoring at least six runs in a game.
Emporia State is 27-3 when scoring first.
Emporia State was outscored in a series just once in 16 three game series this year.
RECORD BOOKS
Evan Koehler is ranked fifth among active players in NCAA Division II and seventh among all active NCAA Divisions with 36 career home runs. He is tenth in D2 with a .719 slugging percentage. He is ranked third in career home runs at Emporia State and his 22 homers this year rank fourth on the single season list.
Wade Hanna is sixth in career base hits with 170 and at bats with 543 and is tied with several players for tenth on the Emporia State single season list with six triples.
HONORS
Emporia State had nine players earn All-MIAA status. Pitcher Tyler Stubblefield, first baseman Evan Koehler and outfielder Dalton Wheat were each named First-Team All-MIAA. Pitcher Garrett Brummett was a Second-Team selection. Outfielder Wade Hanna and designated hitter Derek Francis were both on the Third-Team while pitcher Jordan Plank, shortstop Levi Ashmore and third baseman Daniel LaMunyon were named honorable mention All-MIAA.
Stubblefield is a semifinalist for the Brett Tomko Award as the top pitcher in NCAA Division II.
COMEBACK KIDS
Emporia State has 16 come from behind wins this year, including six where they have trailed and ultimately won by at least ten runs. They have scored a tying or winning run in the eighth inning or later five times this season.
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 11 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. The Hornets were being no hit and trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning of 2014's first MIAA Championship game before rallying for a 3-2 victory to prolong their season.
REGIONALLY SPEAKING
Emporia State is ranked tenth in the NCAA Central Region and are one of four MIAA teams in the top ten. The automatic qualifiers from the MIAA, NSIC and GAC along with the next five highest ranked regional teams make up the NCAA Central Regional Tournament. As a conference the MIAA was 75-60 (.556) in non-league action this year while the GAC went 73-89 (.451) and the NSIC was 74-106 (.411) overall. Against only Division II opponents, the MIAA was 72-59 (.550), the NSIC went 52-82 (.388) and the GAC was 50-80 (.385).
In inter-conference play the MIAA was 12-7 against the NSIC and 15-10 against the GAC. Six of the MIAA's wins against the NSIC were by teams that did not make the MIAA Tournament, including four wins against NSIC teams that were regionally ranked last week.
