Baseball | 3/14/2019 4:02:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (9-7, 6-3 MIAA)
at Central Oklahoma (12-6, 5-4 MIAA)
Friday, March 15 • 6:00 p.m. • Wendell Simmons Field • Edmond, Okla.
Saturday, March 16 • 3:00 p.m. • Wendell Simmons Field • Edmond, Okla.
Sunday, March 17 • 1:00 p.m. • Wendell Simmons Field • Edmond, Okla.
Series History: ESU Leads 144-65 • Last Meeting: FHSU 7, ESU 4 (Mar. 31, 2018)
Up Next: vs. Oklahoma Christian • March 19 • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Live Stats
HEADING SOUTH
The Hornets travel to Edmond, Okla. to take on Central Oklahoma in a three game series March 15-17.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State completed a 2-1 series win over Fort Hays State with a 12-4 game three win in Emporia, Kan. After trailing 2-0 to the Tigers through two innings, the Hornets batted around the order and scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take the lead. The Tigers answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and the Hornets led 5-4 after four complete. The Hornets would score five runs on three hits and one Tigers error to extend their lead to 10-4 in the top of the sixth. Holding the Tigers scoreless in the last five innings of the game, the Hornets capped off scoring with two runs in the top of the ninth to take the 12-4 win over the Tigers. The Hornets had 13 hits with 11 rbi led by Connor Hurst with two runs on three hits including two home runs with five rbi. Adam Thies got the win on the mound for the Hornets pitching 1.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits with two K's.
THE COACHES
Seth Wheeler is 9-7 in his first season as the Hornets head coach. Over the past three years as a pitching coach at Emporia State, Wheeler has led the Hornets to the second best ERA in the MIAA at 4.60 improving from sixth in 2014. Â
John Martin is 116-70-1 in his fourth season as head coach for the Bronchos. Â
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 9-7 on the season, 6-3 in the MIAA. The Hornets have 98 runs on 130 hits with 15 home runs. Hornet pitchers have 131 K's and have held opponents to a batting average of .267.
At the Bat
Paul Claassen leads the Hornets with a .328 batting avg. and has 11 runs on 21 hits with three doubles. Brian Grove, Cooper Minnick and Josh Norlin lead the Hornets with 12 runs each.
On the Mound
Jake Barton is fifth in the MIAA with a 1.93 era in five starts. He has pitched 28.0 innings with 20 K's. Tanner Cairns is ninth in the MIAA with 34 K's in five starts with a 2.80 era through 35.1 innings. Out of the bullpen, Drew Scrimsher has seven appearances with a 2-0 record with a 2.08 era in 13.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is 12-6 on the season, 5-4 in the MIAA. Brock Ruminer leads the Bronchos with a .368 batting average. Phillip Scott leads the team with 14 runs on 23 hits. Dylan Hall has six starts for the Bronchos with a 3.94 era through 32.0 innings with 41 K's.
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL OKLA.
Emporia State's 2018 season came to an end as the Hornets fell 4-1 to the Bronchos in the NCAA Tournament on May 19, 2018. Both pitching staffs held the offenses in check with runs coming across in only two innings of the game. The Bronchos took the lead in the bottom of the third inning with four runs on a grand slam from Trae Smith. The Hornets answered in the top of the fourth with one run from Mack Gowing after reaching on an error and advancing to third before a sac fly from Mason Brown. This would be the only scoring of the game as the Hornets fell 4-1. Â
UP NEXT
The Hornets take on Oklahoma Christian in a mid-week double header on March 19 at the Trusler Sports Complex.
Wheels on the bus
On Friday, June 22, the Emporia State Hornets announced the hiring of Seth Wheeler as the 15th head coach in Hornet baseball history. Wheeler spent the previous three seasons as the pitching and catchers coach at Emporia State. The Hornets had the second best ERA in the conference at 4.60 over his three seasons after ranking sixth in the league in 2014. Emporia State was 110-52 with three trips to the NCAA Tournament and an MIAA regular season championship with Wheeler as an assistant in the dugout.
He began his coaching career with the Junction City Brigade, a collegiate wood bat team that competes in the Mid-Plains League, the summer after graduating from Central Missouri. Wheeler served as the hitting coach as the team went 26-10, won the MPL and led the league in runs per game. During the school year he was an assistant coach at Butler CC. He was in charge of catchers and base running for the Grizzlies who led the NJCAA in stolen bases with 157 on the season.
AROUND THE HORN
First baseman Alex Pener (Jr./Overland Park, Kan.) has 10 runs on 14 hits and 12 rbi this season. In 2018, Pener took a medical redshirt at Mississippi State.
Second baseman Brian Grove (Sr./River Falls, Wis.) has 18 hits with 12 runs and seven rbi this season. He started 55 games at second base for the Hornets in 2018 hitting .301 with 59 runs scored. Grove also added 14 doubles, three triples, and four home runs on his way to a .449 slugging percentage and MIAA All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition.
Shortstop Josh Norlin (Jr./Wichita, Kan.) has 11 hits with 12 runs including one home run and five rbi this season. He attended Dallas Baptist University in the fall of 2018 before he transferred to Emporia State and took a medical redshirt after an injury early in the season. As a Sophomore in 2017, Norlin hit .404 for Neosho County with an on base percentage of .536. Norlin had 18 doubles, four home runs, 50 RBI and 55 walks. He was named second team All-League SS.
Third baseman Paul Claassen (Sr./Denver, Colo.) leads the Hornets with a .328 batting avg and has 21 hits with 11 runs including two home runs and three doubles. He played in 55 games as a sophomore at Barton CC in 2017. He had a batting average of .290, .370 slugging percentage, and a .432 on base percentage. 12 doubles, two triples, and three home runs with the Cougars.
Catcher Cooper Minnick (JR./Leon, Kan.) has 12 runs on 16 hits including one home run and two doubles. He redshirted for the Hornets in 2018. As a sophomore at Neosho County, he hit .359 in 217 AB's with 21 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, and 69 RBI's. Minnick was named First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region, third Team All-American, and earned the Gold Glove as a catcher in the Jayhawk Conference.
OUT IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Mitch Sloan (Sr./Paola, Kan.) has 11 runs on nine hits with ten rbi. As a junior, Sloan transferred to Cameron University where he played in 29 games. He hit .338 with 68 hits, 16 doubles and five home runs as a sophomore at Fort Scott CC.
Outfielder Aaron Dees (Sr./Burlington, Kan.) has a .250 batting avg. with ten runs on ten hits including three home runs. He transferred to Emporia State from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Outfielder Connor Hurst (Jr./Augusta, Kan.) leads the Hornets with three home runs. He has eight runs on 11 hits with 13 rbi for the Hornets. In 2018, As a Sophomore at Butler Community College, he hit .385 with an OBP of .476 and finished the season with 69 hits including 12 doubles, 4 triples, 18 Home runs, 64 RBIs, 57 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. Was named First Team All-Jayhawk Conference Outfield and Second Team All-Region VI.
ON THE MOUND
Right-handed pitcher Tanner Cairns (Sr./Wichita, Kan.) has thrown one complete game and has five starts with 35.1 innings with a 2.80 era and 34 K's this season. He threw a total of 88.0 innings in 15 appearances with all 15 being starts in his junior season. He had a record of 9-1 with an ERA of 4.04 and had an opposing batting average of .279 to earn All-MIAA third team honors
Right-handed pitcher Jake Barton (Sr./Omaha, Neb.) has thrown 28.0 innings with 20 K's with a 1.93 era this season. He medically redshirted the past two seasons. In 2016 he logged 72.2 innings in 14 starts at Johnson County Community College. He was 8-1 with six complete games and 83 K's allowing just 30 earned runs with an era of 3.72.
Right-handed pitcher Drew Scrimsher (Sr./Oskaloosa, Kan.) has a 2-0 record out of the bullpen with seven appearances. He has a 2.08 era through 13.0 innings pitched. In 2017, his junior year, Scrimsher appeared in 12 games for the Hornets. In 15.1 innings he struck out 13 batters posting a 5.87 ERA.
