May 13, 2017-Emporia State was held to just four hits in a 4-1 loss to Missouri Southern and were eliminated from the MIAA Tournament on Saturday in Joplin, Mo.
The Lions jumped on starter Jordan Plank early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Plank hit Max Hogan to start the inning. After he went to second on a sac bunt, Tyler Sutherland reached on an error by Levi Ashmore at shortstop. Dave Prost then singled in Hogan for the first run. Brett Graham followed with a RBI single to right and Richie Gorski made it 3-0 with a sac fly.
Missouri Southern added a run in the third on a walk to Sutherland and with two outs back to back singles from Graham and Gorski to make it 4-0.
The Hornets were getting no hit through five innings when BJ Dean broke it up with a two out single in the top of the fifth inning. Taylor Sanagorski then doubled in Dean to get Emporia State on the board. Levi Ashmore was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Alex White hit a line drive to center that was caught by Danny Biggs to end the inning.
Plank settled down after the first inning and other than the two singles in the third, did not allow another hit until he was relieved to start the fifth. The bullpen worked effectively, with Layne Downing and Matt Slauter holding Missouri Southern scoreless in four innings with just two hits.
After Mason Brown singled in the sixth, Mack Gowing and Kaden Shaffer both hit fly balls to the warning track to end the inning. With two outs in the eighth Ryan McBroom walked and Brown followed with an infield single but Gowing struck out to end the threat.
Plank took the loss allowing four runs, two of them earned, on four hits with a walk, hit batter and two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Brown had two of the Hornets four hits as Emporia State was just two for 11 with runners on base.
Emporia State will now have to await their postseason fate. Entering the weekend the Hornets were the top ranked team in the region. The field for the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament will be announced at 9 p.m. on Sunday night on ncaa.com. The host site is expected to be announced earlier on Sunday through the NCAA's social media accounts.
