Baseball | 3/28/2019 9:15:00 AM
Emporia State Hornets (17-9, 11-4 MIAA)
vs. #11 Missouri Southern Lions (21-7, 12-3 MIAA)
Saturday, March 30, 2019 • 3:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan. Â
Sunday, March 31, 2019 • 3:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan. Â
Monday, April 1, 2019 • 1:00 p.m. • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan. Â
Series History: ESU Leads 65-33
Last Meeting: at MSSU 1, ESU 0 (10) (March 25, 2018)
Live Stats •
Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: Washburn • April 2 • Glennen Field/Trusler • Emporia, Kan.
FIRST PLACE SHOWDOWN
The Hornets play host to #11 Missouri Southern at the Trusler Sports Complex with first place in the MIAA on the line.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State ran its winning streak to five games with a sweep of Newman. The Hornets won game one 5-4 and took the nightcap 13-2.
The Hornets got on top early thanks to a two run homer by Aaron Dees in the top of the first inning. Drew Scrimsher pitched the bottom of the seventh and did not allow a run to earn his third save of the season. Dees was one for four with a home run, two RBI and a run scored. Paul Claassen and Connor Hurst were both two for four with a run scored while Cooper Minnick went one for four with a solo home run. Seaton pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits to pick up his second win.
Emporia State scored seven runs on five hits in the top of the first to take control early in the night cap. Paul Claassen was three for four with three RBI and two runs scored while Connor Hurst went one for three with a double, four RBI and a run scored. Tucker Perkins had a two run homer, two walks, two runs and two RBI. Adam Thies allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out four in 4.0 innings to pick up the win.
THE COACHES
Seth Wheeler is 17-9 overall, 11-4 in the MIAA 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. This is his first meeting with Missouri Southern.
Bryce Darnell is 345-262 in his 12th year as head coach for the Lions. He is 16-27 against Emporia State.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 17-9 on the season, 11-4 in the MIAA and have gone 17-5 after starting the season 0-4. The Hornets have scored 175 runs on 227 hits with 31 home runs. Hornet pitchers are allowing opponents to bat .262 and have a 4.70 team ERA. Paul Claassen is batting .363 with a team high 24 runs scored. Connor Hurst leads Emporia State with nine home runs and 30 RBI. Brian Grove has ten doubles and nine stolen bases. Tanner Cairns and Jake Barton are both 3-1. Barton has a 1.66 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. Cairns has a 2.58 ERA with 48 strikeouts and only nine walks in 52.1 innings with three complete games.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is 21-7, 12-3 in the MIAA and ranked #11 in CollegeBaseballNews.com poll. They are batting .289 as a team and have a 4.12 team ERA. They lead the MIAA 303 strikeouts. Will Bausinger is 4-1 with a 1.77 ERA and tossed a perfect game earlier this season against Washburn. Dexter Swims is batting .384 with three homers and 21 RBI.
SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State leads the all-time series 65-33.
LAST AT BAT WITH MO. SOUTHERN
The Lions took advantage of a Hornet error and a walk in the bottom of the tenth inning to eke out a 1-0 win over the Hornets. Bryce Fischer had two hits fore Emporia State Max Simpson allowed just one hit in 6.2 innings with four K's before being replaced by Nathan Gieber. Gieber pitched three innings allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Hornets take on Washburn in a non-league Turnpike Tussle on Tuesday at Trusler.
WHEELS ON THE BUSS
On Friday, June 22, the Emporia State Hornets announced the hiring of Seth Wheeler as the 15th head coach in Hornet baseball history. He is 17-9 in his first season. 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.
SUSTAINED SUCCESS
Over the last 50 years Emporia State has only had three losing seasons and during one of those seasons they won the MIAA Tournament and hosted the NCAA Regional. The four coaches in that time have all won at least 58% of their games. The Hornets have gone to 14 NCAA Tournaments, two NCAA World Series and a national championship game appearance in 2009 after advancing to seven NAIA World Series between 1969-1987 with a national championship in 1978 and runner-up finish in 1987.
AROUND THE HORN
First baseman Lou Pener (Jr./Overland Park, Kan.) has 18 runs on 19 hits and 16 RBI this season. He has committed just one error in 196 chances this season. In 2018, Pener took a medical redshirt at Mississippi State.
Second baseman Paul Claassen (Sr./Denver, Colo.) has a .363 average with 24 runs scored, three home runs, six doubles and 18 RBI. He played in 55 games as a sophomore at Barton CC in 2017. He had a .290 batting average, with a .370 slugging percentage, and .432 on base percentage. He hit 12 doubles, two triples, and three home runs with the Cougars.
Shortstop Josh Norlin (Jr./Wichita, Kan.) has 20 hits with 18 runs including one home run and seven RBI this season. He attended Dallas Baptist 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, 18 doubles, four home runs, 50 RBI and 55 walks. He was named second team All-League at shortstop.
Third baseman Tanner Arst (Sr./Wichita, Kan.) has played in 17 games with 16 starts this season. He has 11 hits with two home runs and six RBI. As a junior he played in 32 games for the Hornets. He hit .284 with eight doubles and three home runs, driving in 21 runs.
Catcher Cooper Minnick (Jr./Leon, Kan.) is batting .295 with four home runs, 16 RBI and 20 runs scored on the season. 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.
Catcher Tyrus Barclay (Jr./Wyoming, Ontario) has nine starts on the season, mostly in the second game of double headers. He is batting .303 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI in 33 at bats.
AT THE PLATE
Designated hitter/infielder Brian Grove (Sr./River Falls, Wis.) has a .307 average with 20 runs, 11 RBI and a team best nine stolen bases 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.
Designated hitter/infielder Tucker Perkins (Sr./Belton, Mo.) has appeared in 13 games with six starts with a home run this season. As a sophomore he hit .311 with a .404 on base percentage in 29 games. He hit .363 with an OBP of .441 in 42 games and was named to the all central region tournament team as a freshman.
OUT IN THE FIELD
Outfielder Connor Hurst (Jr./Augusta, Kan.) is second in the MIAA in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage. He has nine home runs, 30 RBI and a .655 slugging percentage. He is batting .227663 and has a .353 on base percentage. In 2018, as a sophomore at Butler CC, he hit .385 with an OBP of .476 and finished the season with 69 hits including 12 doubles, four triples, 18 Home runs, 64 RBIs, 57 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. He was named First Team All-Jayhawk Conference Outfield and Second Team All-Region VI.
Outfielder Aaron Dees (Sr./Burlington, Kan.) is third in the MIAA in home runs and slugging percentage and ranks eighth in RBI. He is batting .312 with six home runs, 22 RBI and a .649 slugging percentage. He transferred to Emporia State from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Outfielder Christian Roduner (Jr./Rossville, Kan.) has 14 starts in 16 games this year. He has scored eight runs on seven hits. In 2018, he hit .275 with a .433 on base percentage in 38 games at Colby CC. Â
Outfielder Mitch Sloan (Sr./Paola, Kan.) has played in 16 games with 14 starts this season. He has scored 11 runs with ten RBI and has two doubles, a triple and a home run this year. He played in 35 games with 29 starts for Cameron in 2018 with 15 runs scored. As a sophomore at Ft. Scott CC in 2017 he hit .338 with 68 hits, 46 runs scored, 16 doubles, and five home runs.
ON THE MOUND
Right-handed pitcher Tanner Cairns (Sr./Wichita, Kan.) has thrown complete games in each of his last three outings. He is 3-1 with a 2.58 ERA and a team high 48 strikeouts in 52.1 innings pitched and has only allowed nine walks. Last year 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.) is 3-1 on the season and has thrown 43.1 innings with 35 strikeouts and a 1.66 ERA. He is allowing opponents to hit just .162 against him. He medically redshirted the past two seasons. In 2016 he logged 72.2 innings in 14 starts at Johnson County CC. He was 8-1 with six complete games and 83 strike outs allowing just 30 earned runs for a 3.72 ERA.
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Lee (Sr./Grandview, Mo.) is 2-2 with a 6.56 ERA. He has four starts in eight appearances. His 23.1 innings pitched and 26 strikeouts both rank third on the team. As a junior in 2017 he had a 2.96 ERA in 26 innings out of the bullpen at Missouri. He was a midweek starter for Missouri and accumulated 78 innings over 10 starts with a 3.92 ERA as a sophomore. He had a 5.63 ERA over 13.1 innings as a red-shirt freshman for the Tigers.
Right-handed pitcher Drew Scrimsher (Sr./Oskaloosa, Kan.) has a 2-0 record with three saves in 11 appearances out of the bullpen. He has a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched with 18 strikeouts. Last year he appeared in 12 games for the Hornets, striking out 13 batters with a 5.87 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched.
Right-handed pitcher Drew Repp (Jr./Topeka, Kan.) is 1-0 in eight relief appearances with a 6.05 ERA. He has struck out 13 in 19.1 innings. As a sophomore at Barton CC he had a 6.00 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 16 appearances. He had a 4.13 ERA with 32 strikeouts with a total of 14 appearances as a freshman
Right-handed pitcher Hayden Schaeffer (Thornton, Colo.) is 1-2 in six appearances with four starts. He has battled injuries the last two seasons. As a freshman he started three games. He had 25 strikeouts and seven walks in 26.0 innings.
Left-handed pitcher Dale Miller (Fr./Lawrence, Kan.) is 1-0 with a 0.77 ERA in four relief appearances. He red-shirted last year with the Hornets after earning First-Team All-State in Class 6A for Lawrence Free State HS.
Right handed pitcher Connor Burns (Sr./St. Albert, Alberta) has appeared in six games and has a 2.45 ERA in 7.1 innings. He had 12 appearances and pitched 13.2 innings last year for the Hornets. As a sophomore at Garden City CC, he started 10 games and appeared in 11 with a 6-2 record. He had a 4.97 ERA with 51 K's to 14 walks in 63.1 innings pitched. As a freshman he went 5-1 with an ERA of 3.87 in 81.1 innings. He had 83 strikeouts and only seven walks.
Right-handed pitcher Sloan Baker (Jr./Scott City, Kan.) has seven relief appearances with eight strike outs in 6.1 innings pitched. He redshirted last season at Emporia State. He appeared in 25 games over two years at Butler CC.
Right-handed pitcher Adam Thies (Sr./Olathe, Kan.) is 2-1 with 11 strikeouts in 9.0 innings of work in six games. He pitched in 14 games and started six with a 2-2 record and one save last year for the Hornets. He was 3-5 in 12 games with a 6.97 ERA as a sophomore at Johnson CC. He was 4-0 record with 22 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA as a freshman.
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