EMPORIA STATE BASEBALL COMPLETES THE SWEEP OF LINDENWOOD WITH TWO WALKOFF WINS

March 1, 2019- Emporia State Baseball completed the sweep over Lindenwood with a 4-3 win in game one and 6-5 win in game two of the double header. The Hornets got two walk off wins at Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex.
 
Game One
The Hornets retired batters around one hit in the top of the first before taking the lead in the bottom of the inning. Brian Grove led off with a double to right center field and advanced to third on a ground out from Cooper Minnick. Grove would score on a dropped third strike throw to first before the final out as the Hornets led 1-0 after one.
 
After a scoreless second inning, the Lions tied the game at 1-1 with one run on two hits in the top of the third.
 
The Hornets regained the lead with one run in the bottom of the fourth. Alex Pener got things started with a double to left center and would give the Hornets a 2-1 lead on a single from Aaron Dees.
 
In the top of the fifth, Paul Claassen led off with a single to right field and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Josh Norlin. Claassen advanced to third on a failed pick-off attempt and would score on a sac fly from Minnick. The Hornets led 3-1 heading to the sixth inning.
 
The Lions tied the game at 3-3 with two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh inning and held the Hornets scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Teams exchanged outs in six straight batters in the eighth inning to head into the final frame tied at 3-3.
 
After retiring Lion batters in order, the Hornets took the lead and the 4-3 win with one run on one hit in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs on the board, Tucker Perkins pinch hit for Tanner Arst and sent a shot into left center field for a double. Christian Roduner came in to pinch run for Perkins before Claassen was walked. Runners advanced on a passed ball and bases were loaded as Norlin walked. Roduner scored on a wild pitch to take the 4-3 win over the Lions.
 
Emporia State recorded seven hits in the game led by Aaron Dees with two. Brian Grove, Alex Pener, Christian Roduner and Paul Claassen each scored one run for the Hornets.
 
Jake Barton started on the mound for the Hornets pitching 6.2 innings and allowing three runs on six hits with seven K's. Trey Taylor faced one batter before Drew Scrimsher finished the game with 2.1 innings allowing no runs and no hits for the win.
 
Game Two
The Hornets struck first with one run in the top of the first. Brian Grove led off with a single to center field and stole second base. After Alex Pener walked, Aaron Dees advanced the runners with a rbi single through the right side that brought Grove home to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.
 
The Lions tied the game with one run in the top of the third on two hits. In the bottom of the inning, the Hornets got one hit but could not capitalize as the runner would be left on base.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Lions used three straight scoring innings to gain the lead as they pushed it to 5-1 with two runs in the fifth and one run in both the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the ninth, the Hornets started their comeback when Mitch Sloan reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. Sloan advanced to second on a single from Christian Roduner before runners advanced on a single from Paul Claassen. Cooper Minnick pinch hit for Josh Norlin and send a two-run double into left field to close the gap to 5-3. Grove singled to third base to score another run for the Hornets before Tucker Perkins reached on a fielders choice as pinch runner Brett Huelsmann made it around the tag at home to tie the game at 5-5 with runners on first and second. Runners advanced on a wild pitch before Pener sent a walk-off single into right center field to give the Hornets a 6-5 win.
 
The Hornets had 11 runs in the game and were led by Brian Grove, Paul Claassen and Tyrus Barclay with two each. Grove led the Hornets with two runs scored in the game.
 
Ryan Lee started on the mound for the Hornets pitching 4.2 innings allowing three runs with four K's. Connor Burns relieved Lee and pitched 1.1 innings with one K before Hayden Schaeffer came in to pitch 2.0 innings allowing one run with one K. Drew Repp finished the game and got the win as he pitched the final inning with one K.
 
The Hornets will be back in action on Friday, March 8 as they travel to Hays, Kan. to take on Fort Hays State.