#13 Emporia State Hornets (42-12, 29-6 MIAA)
vs. Central Oklahoma Bronchos (34-20-1, 20-16 MIAA)
Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 5:45 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU Leads 28-23 Last Meeting: ESU 6, at UCO 1 (April 1, 2017)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM
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Live Stats Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: With win May 21, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. • Glennen Field • Emporia, Kan.
DO OR DIE TIME
The #13 Hornets take on conference foe Central Oklahoma in an elimination game of the NCAA Central Regional Tournament.
LAST AT BAT
In a battle of the MIAA regular season and tournament champions Emporia State dug themselves a 6-0 hole after three innings and came back to take a 9-6 lead before falling 12-11 to Lindenwood in 13 innings. Emporia State got on the board with back-to-back doubles from Mack Gowing and Kaden Shaffer in the fourth. The Hornets tied the game up with four in the bottom of the fifth inning as BJ Dean led off the inning with a home run that cleared the scoreboard in right field. Ryan McBroom would follow that up with a three run shot to right field. Lindenwood would break the tie in the top of the 13th inning when Behrens hit a high chopper to shortstop driving home pinch runner Brett Anderson.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 565-241 in his 14th season at Emporia State and is 871-354 overall in his 21st year as a four year head coach. He is the fifth winningest active coach in NCAA Division II and is 14th in total victories. He has more wins than any other Emporia State coach and is the winningest active MIAA coach. He has led Emporia State to two Division II World Series appearances in 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament. Fornelli has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament 17 times, and was the national runner-up in 2009 with Emporia State and in 2000 while at Ft. Hays State. He is 21-23 in the NCAA Tournament with the Hornets. He is 22-17 against the Bronchos at Emporia State.
John Martin is 64-42-1 in his second year as head coach at Central Oklahoma. He is 2-5 against his alma mater.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
MIAA Champion Emporia State is 42-12 on the season, 26-6 in the MIAA, ranked #1 in the Central Region and 13th in the nation. The Hornets are fourth in the nation in runs scored. Levi Ashmore leads the MIAA and is 20th in the nation in runs scored. Emporia State's seven shutouts are the 11th most in the nation. Seth Holman leads the MIAA and is ninth in the nation with 11 wins. Nathan Whitcomb is second in the MIAA and 13th in the nation in saves. Emporia State is ranked fifth in the nation in fielding percentage and sixth in double plays turned.
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is 34-20-1 on the season and went 20-16 in the MIAA. They advanced to the championship game of the MIAA Tournament and have gone 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament.
THE SERIES
The Hornets lead the all-time series 28-23 over the Bronchos after UCO took two of three earlier this season in Edmond. They are batting .297 as a team with a 4.86 team ERA.
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL OKLA.
The then #9 Hornets dropped the first two games at Central Oklahoma before winning the finale 6-1. Jordan Plank went 6.0 innings on Sunday with four strikeouts and two walks to pick up the win. He allowed just one run on three hits.
ON DECK
The winner will advance to play in the losers bracket semis at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday and will need to win two games on Sunday to advance to Monday's championship game.
