April 5, 2017 - The #17 Emporia State baseball team improved to 25-7 on the year with a 7-3 win over Missouri Western Wednesday night. The Hornets took the series 2-1 over the Griffons to improve to 14-4 in the MIAA.
GRIFFONS LEAD EARLY, HORNETS ANSWER BACK
Missouri Western scored a run in the top of the second inning to take an early 1-0 lead over Emporia State. The Hornets answered with a three run third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Alex White doubled to right field to score Wade Hanna with on out followed by a two RBI single up the middle from Ryan McBroom. Emporia State scored another run to take a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning when Levi Ashmore singled to center field, plating Kaden Shaffer.
MISSOURI WESTERN CLOSES THE GAP
The Griffons scored two runs on four hits in the fifth inning to close the gap 4-3. Another three run inning, on just one hit, in the sixth clinched the win for Emporia State. Nathan Whitcomb pitched the final inning for the Hornets, retiring the side to end the game.
BY THE NUMBERS
Ashmore led the Hornets, hitting two for four with two runs and two RBI. White went two for three on the day while McBroom had four RBI on just one hit. Mason Brown also hit two for four against the Griffons. Layne Downing improved to 3-3 on the season, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing just two runs on five hits with no walks and a strikeout. Jacob Tetuan had five strikeouts in just two innings pitched, four in a single inning.
NOTES
Wade Hanna hit his tenth career triple to tie Mike Brown and Dan Drum for sixth on Emporia State's all-time career list. He will need one more to tie Mike Peterson for fifth.
UP NEXT
The #17 Hornets host #19 Central Missouri in a three game series from April 7-9 on Glennen Field. First pitch of the series will be at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7 at Trusler Sports Complex.
