March 20, 2018-Down by two in the ninth Emporia State scored four runs but Missouri Western was able to force extra innings and won in the bottom of the 11th inning for a 7-6 Griffon win.
The Hornets scored two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead. Mack Gowing walked and Mason Brown doubled him to third. Bryce Fischer then had an RBI ground out to give Emporia State a 1-0 lead. Kaden Shaffer was hit by a pitch and Brian Grove walked to load the bases. Tanner Arst was able to beat out the throw to avoid a double play and plate Brown for a 2-0 lead.
Max Simpson, who nearly missed the start with an illness, struck out the side in the bottom of the first and made it four in a row to start the second. He then gave up a single, hit batter and another single to load the bases. Ryan Fisher worked a walk to give the Griffons their first run before Simpson was able to get a force out at home and a fly out to end the inning.
After Simpson got his fifth strike out to start the bottom of the fourth inning, Nolan Meyer reached on a bunt single and went to second when Simpson's throw was off. Fisher then got his second RBI of the game with a single through the right side to tie the game at 2-2.
Jacob Tetuan relieved Simpson to start the sixth inning and gave up a double and single to start the inning. He was able to get a come backer that held the runner at third and got a strikeout before Dusty Stroup gave the Griffons a 4-2 lead with a single.
The Hornets had a chance to cut into the lead with two outs in the eighth. Grove worked a walk and Arst reached on an error by the Griffons Brooks Day at second base. Tate Kastens then laced a single to left but Tyler Harris, pinch running for Arst, was thrown out trying to go to third to end the inning before Grove could score from second.
Trevor Turner led off the top of the ninth with a single up the middle followed by a Kyle Lopez pinch hit single through the left side. Gowing laid down a bunt to advance the runners before Brown reached on a fielder's choice that failed to get an out and loaded the bases. Fischer walked to drive in a run and Shaffer tied it when he reached on a fielder's choice that retired Brown at third. Grove gave Emporia State a 6-4 lead with a triple that drove in Fischer and Shaffer.
Taylor Thompson, who had worked a perfect seventh and eighth for the Hornets, gave up a single to Maurice Bruce and a triple to Day to start the bottom of the ninth and had a 2-2 count on Stroup when he was relieved by Seth Holman. Holman walked Stroup to put runners on the corners before Casey Danley got an RBI single to tie the game. Brown threw out Danley trying to go to third on a sacrifice attempt by Fahd Shakeel. The Hornets were able to turn a double play to end the inning and send the game to extra innings.
Emporia State got two single in the top of the tenth but a caught stealing helped cut short the rally. Missouri Western then got their first two batters on in the bottom of the tenth against reliever Layne Downing before he as able to get a strike out, infield fly and foul out to send the game to the 11th inning. A two out single by Shaffer was all the Hornets could muster in the top of the 11th. Stroup led off the bottom of the inning with a single and stayed there as Danley popped up a bunt attempt and Shakeel hit fly ball to shallow right. Will Jabas then hit a single through the left side on a hit and run to put runners on the corners. Meyer then laid down a bunt to the right of the pitchers mound and was able to beat Downing to first allowing Stroup to score the game winning run.
Brian Grove was one for three with a triple, three walks and two RBI while Mack Gowing went two for four with a walk and a run scored. Bryce Fischer was one for five with two RBI and a walk. Max Simpson allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Layne Downing took the loss after giving up one run on three hits in 1.2 innings.
The Hornets will continue their current road tip on Friday when they travel to Missouri Southern. First pitch from Warren Turner Field in Joplin, Mo. on Friday, March 23 is set for 6:00 p.m.
