April 28, 2017-The #11 Emporia State baseball team swept Northwest Missouri on Friday and in the process clinched the MIAA regular season championship with four games to go. The Hornets won 10-4 in game one and 15-5 in seven innings in game two.
GAME ONE
After Seth Holman retired Northwest Missouri in order in the top of the first Emporia State scored a pair of runs on one hit in the bottom of the inning. Levi Ashmore led off with a walk and would eventually score on a double play. Mack Gowing would later give the Hornets a 2-0 lead when he squeezed Alex White in from third with a bunt. Emporia State used four walks and a ground ball to score two runs in the bottom of the second to go up 4-0. Kaden Shaffer then hit a two run double in the third for a 6-0 lead before BJ Dean delivered a knock out blow with a three run shot to left center.
The Bearcats finally got on the board with a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to pull within 9-3. They made it 9-4 with a solo run in the top of the seventh but the Hornets answered with an RBI single from White in the bottom of the inning that plated pinch runner Jonny Hodges. Taylor Thompson and Jason Tetuan each worked a scoreless inning in relief of Holman to seal the 10-4 win.
Holman allowed four runs on eight hits with seven strike outs and three walks over 7.0 innings to earn his ninth win of the year.
GAME TWO
The Hornets sent 13 batters to the plate and scored ten runs in the first inning of the night cap. Mason Brown doubled in the first run and Mack Gowing made it 2-0 with a sac fly. The next two runs were walked in by Bearcat pitchers as the Hornets took a 4-0 lead. Batting for the second time in the inning, Levi Ashmore doubled in two runs for a 6-0 lead. Alex White followed with a two run single and then McBroom made it 10-0 with a two RBI homer to left center.
Northwest scored their first run in the fourth inning for their only run off starter Tanner Cairns. The Bearcats got four runs in the top of the seventh off reliever Zac Shaw to pull within 10-5 before Trey Taylor came on to get the final two outs.
Emporia State then exploded for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to invoke the run rule. The Hornets took advantage of two errors on failed pick-offs to go with six hits and two walks in the inning. The game ended when Trevor Turner walked on four pitches with the bases loaded for Emporia State's 15th run.
McBroom was three for five with three RBI and two runs scored while Ashmore went two for three with three RBI and three runs scored. Cairns picked up his sixth win of the year, allowing one run on five hits in 6.0 innings.
UP NEXT
The Hornets and Bearcats are scheduled to wrap up their three game series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., weather permitting.
NOTES
The win clinches the outright MIAA Championship for the Hornets with four games left on the schedule. It is their fifth regular season title since 2006 and the first since 2011.
