February 17, 2018- Emporia State erupted for 12 runs in the second inning on their way to a 16-4 ome opening win over Newman.
The Jets got on the board first with two runs in the top of the second inning, but the Hornets used a 12 run bottom half to blow the game open. The Hornets had 13 hits and batted around in their big inning. Garrett Francis, Bryce Fischer, and Trevor Turner each had two-run singles in the inning.
The Hornets used plate discipline to score a run in the bottom of the 4th on two walks and a wild pitch. Turner was able to get this third RBI of the game on a single to give the Hornets a 13-2 lead after four innings.
The Jets would score a run in the top of the 6th off of Sloan Baker, but the Hornets would extend their lead to 15-3 in the bottom of the 7th with a two-run single from Brandon Bachar. Newman scored a run in the top half of the 8th inning, but the Hornets would answer again with a run in the bottom of the inning on a Kaden Shaffer sac fly RBI. Brendan Janes pitched a clean top of the 9th inning as the Hornets won their fifth game in a row.
As a team the Hornets had 22 hits, led by Turner who was five for six with three RBI. Fischer went three for five and had two runs scored to give him a total of ten on the season. Mack Gowing was a perfect three for three at the plate to go with two RBI. .Cairns picked up his first win of the season, going 5.0 innings after allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts.
The Hornets close out the series against Newman on Sunday, Feb. 18. First pitch from Glennen Field is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
