EMPORIA STATE OPENS NCAA TOURNEY WITH 8-6 WIN AT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

May 17, 2018-Emporia State got seven shutout innings from Tanner Cairns and scored eight runs on jut five hits as they upset top seeded Southern Arkansas 8-6 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Tournament in Magnolia, Ark.
 
Cairns and Mulerider starter Hunter Vasquez, the GAC Pitcher of the Year, were both perfect over the first two innings. Vazquez struck out the first three Hornets he faced in the first inning and Cairns used just four pitches to retire Southern Arkansas in order in the bottom of the inning.
 
Kyle Lopez worked a walk to lead off the top of the third and Tate Kastens blasted his fifth home run of the year over the wall in left field to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead.  SAU got two runners on to start the bottom of the third but Bryce Fischer made a running grab in deep right field to end the threat.
 
Fischer then led off the top of the fourth with a walk and would later score on a Lopez single to left field for a 3-0 lead.  The Hornets took advantage of three walks in the fifth to load the bases with two outs.  Kaden Shaffer laced a single to left field that was misplayed by Cole Boyd, resulting in three runs and a 6-0 Emporia State lead.
 
The Hornets added another run in the seventh as Mason Brown singled in Brian Grove with two outs for a 7-0 lead.  With one out in the top of the ninth, Mack Gowing walked and went to third on Fischer's double to right center before Brown walked to load the bases.  Shaffer got an RBI ground out to first to plate Gowing and make it 8-0 headed to the bottom of the ninth.
 
Jacob Tetuan started the ninth and gave up a double and a single before re-aggravating an injury that has limited him this season.  Trey Taylor came in and gave up two walks and two singles to make it 8-3 with no outs.  Taylor Thompson relieved Taylor and struck out GAC Player of the Year Jacob Richardson with the bases loaded.  He gave up a sac fly to Cortland McPherson to make it 8-4 before Dakota Wright doubled down the left field line to score two and pull the Muleriders within 8-6.  He then got Cole Boyd to ground out to third to end the inning and the game.
 
Cairns threw 7.0 shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks with four strikeouts as he improved to 9-1 on the year.  Thompson pitched 1.0 to pick up his first save of the season.  The Hornet corner infielders of Shaffer and Kastens combined for five RBI on just two hits as Emporia State took advantage of ten walks in the game. Mason Brown was one for two officially with one run, one RBI and three walks.
 
The Hornets, now 34-22 on the season, will take on fifth seeded Augustana in the winners bracket on Friday night at 5:00 p.m.  The Vikings improved to 46-8 on the year with a 9-4 victory over Pittsburg State earlier on Thursday.
 
NOTES
Brian Grove has now reached base safely in 37 straight games, but saw his 21 game hitting streak come to an end.
The Hornets have now won their regional opener in each of the last three years, since a 9-2 loss to Southern Arkansas on May 15, 2015.
Emporia State is now 8-5 under coach Bob Fornelli in NCAA First Round Games.
Coach Bob Fornelli improves to 599-264 in his 15^th year at Emporia State and is 905-377 in his 22^nd year overall as a head coach.