Emporia State Hornets (13-9, 4-5 MIAA)
vs Missouri Western (13-9, 6-3 MIAA)
Tuesday, Mar. 20 • 4 p.m. • Spring Sports Complex • St. Joseph, Mo.
Series Record: ESU leads 106-36 Last Meeting: ESU 7, MWSU 3 (April 5, 2017)
Up Next: at Missouri Southern • Mar. 23-25, 2018
Warren Turner Field • Joplin, Mo.
Live Stats
MIDWEEK MATCHUP
Emporia State returns to MIAA play as they travel to St. Joseph, Mo. to face Missouri Western on Tuesday March 20.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State swept Minnesota-Duluth in a three game series (4-3, 2-1, 11-1).
In game one the Hornets got on the board early with a run in the bottom of the first. The Bulldogs tied the game with a run in the third and took the lead with one in the fifth. The Hornets answered in the bottom of the frame with two runs to take the lead 3-2 before teams exchanged runs in the sixth to end scoring 4-3. Game two was a defensive battle. The Hornets got one run in the bottom of the fifth. Teams exchanged outs until the eighth inning when the Bulldogs tied the game 1-1. The Hornets answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to take the win 2-1. The Hornets got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the second. The Bulldogs lone run came in the top of the third. In the bottom of the frame the Hornets scored three runs. The Hornets extended their lead with five runs in the seventh and ended the game with one in the eighth 11-1.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 579-251 in his 15th season at Emporia State and is 885-364 overall in his 22nd year as a four year head coach. He has led Emporia State to two Division II World Series appearances in ten NCAA Tournaments. Fornelli is 34-20 against the Griffons.
Charles Verduzco is 546-399 in his 19th year as head coach for the Griffons.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets have a team batting average of .299 while allowing opponents an average of .301. The Hornets have had 750 at bats with 224 hits for 168 runs on the season. Hornet pitchers have combined for 186 K's this season.
At the Plate
Bryce Fischer leads the Hornets with a .435 batting average, 40 hits and 24 runs. Mack Gowing has a .350 avg with 28 hits and 26 runs. Mason Brown, Brian Grove, Trevor Turner, Tate Kastens and Kaden Shaffer each have double digit hits and runs for the Hornets.
On the Mound
Seth Holman has 48 K's with an ERA of 5.05 through 41.0 innings with a record of 2-2. Taylor Thompson has 12 appearances, 19.0 innings, 15 K's and a 3.32 ERA. Max Simpson is 3-1 in six appearences, 21.2 innings with 25 K's.
THE MIAA
Bryce Fischer leads the MIAA in batting average with .449. He is also third in hits with 40 and fourth in RBI with 28. Seth Holman is fifth in the MIAA with 43 K's.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
The Griffons start the season 13-9 overall, 6-3 in the MIAA. Casey Danley leads the Griffons with a .333 batting avg, 26 hits and 19 runs. Dusty Stroup is batting .319 with 29 hits followed by Maurice Bruce with a .293 avg and 27 hits.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE GRIFFONS
The #17 Hornets defeated the Griffons 7-3 to take the series 2-1. The Griffons took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning but the Hornets answered back with three runs in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. In the top of the fifth inning the Griffons closed the gap to 4-3 with two runs. The Hornets capped off the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the win 7-3 over the Griffons. On the mound, Carson Dwyre has five starts with an ERA of 2.40 through 30 innings and has 24 K's.
ON DECK
The Hornets travel to Joplin, Missouri for a three game series against Missouri Southern on March 23-25.
