May 14, 2016-Emporia State scored three runs in the ninth and had the tying run at third but could not complete the comeback in a 6-5 loss to Missouri Western in the first bracket championship game at the MIAA Baseball Tournament in St. Charles, Mo. on Saturday. The two teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon for the right to advance to the MIAA Championship game.
After a scoreless first two innings, the Hornets broke on top with a pair of runs in the third inning. With one out Taylor Steen singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Dalton Wheat, who had extended his hitting streak to 24 games with a lead off single in the first, doubled to left to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead. A Jonny Hodges sac moved Wheat to third and he scored on Derek Francis' single to short left field. The Griffons answered with a solo home run by Nick Gawley with two outs in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead in half.
Emporia State would hold the lead until sixth inning. Brandon Downs tied the game for the Griffons with a leadoff home run to start the inning. Jeremy Alvarado followed with a single to left center and went to second on a walk to Alex Heuring that chased Hornet starter Jordan Plank. Tevin Renken got a sac bunt from Andy Rieth for the first out of the inning before Ozzie Rodriguez reached on a single to short that plated Alvarado and gave the Griffons the lead. A throwing error by Steen allowed Heuring and Rodriguez to both move up a base. Orencio Fisher reached on a fielder's choice that Heuring scored on before David Glaude singled to left center to drive in Rodriguez. Renken then got Kody Matthews to hit a ground ball to short for a force out but Ashmore's throw to first to try to complete the double play bounced away from Koehler at first allowing Fisher to score and make it 6-2.
The Hornets had several chances to cut into the lead in the seventh and eighth. Wade Hanna led off the seventh with a double but was stranded there. Emporia State loaded the bases on the eighth when Wheat reached on an error by Fisher at short and stole second. The next two batters struck out before Evan Koehler and Ryan McBroom walked to lead the bases, but Hanna struck out to end the inning.
Jacob Tetuan relieved Renken to stat the seventh and gave up just a walk and a single in two innings to keep the Hornets close. Daniel LaMunyon singled to short with out in the top of the ninth and went to second when Steen walked. Wheat delivered a single through the right side to score LaMunyon and move pinch runner Tanner Cairns to second. Jonny Hodges worked a walk to load the bases and force Western into their second pitching change of the game as Connor Schwienebart took over for Preston Bailey. On his first pitch Bailey hit Francis to force in a run and bring up Koehler with the bases loaded and the Hornets down 6-4. Koehler hit a grounder up the middle and reached on the fielder's choice that got pinch runner Nathan Whitcomb out at second and scored Wheat to pull the Hornets within a run. McBroom then swung at the first pitch and 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, a double and extended his hitting streak to 24 games. Francis finished one for four with two RBI while Koehler was hit by a pitch and walked in five plate appearances with the other RBI for Emporia State. Plank took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in 5.0+ innings with seven strike outs.
The Hornets and Griffons will meet again on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 with the winner advancing to the MIAA Championship game at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of the first game of the day between Washburn and Central Missouri.
