May 5, 2019-Emporia State jumped out to a 5-1 lead but could not hold the lead in a 12-6 loss to Northwest Missouri On Sunday afternoon at the Trusler Sports Complex.
The Bearcats first three runners reached as they took a 1-0 lead after the first half inning. The Hornets answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame. Brian Grove led off with a single and stole second. Cooper Minnick and Aaron Dees hit back to back doubles to put Emporia State up 2-1. Tucker Perkins delivered a two run homer to right center and one out later Tyrus Barclay hit a home run to left to give the Hornets a 5-1 lead and chased Bearcat starter Joe Funkhouser. Gibson Brown came on and got a fly ball to end the inning.
The Hornets loaded the bases on the bottom of the second but did not score a run. Tanner Arst led off with a walk and Grove singled through the right side before Minnick's drive hit Grove off first base for the first out. Dees followed with a single to load the bases before Connor Hurst hit into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
Northwest closed the deficit with three unearned runs in the top of the fourth. With two outs Derek Hussey reached when Arst's throw from third drew Lou Pener off the bag at first. Hussey stole second before the next three Bearcats each got hits. Jay Hrdlicka singled in Hussey, then Mondesi Gutierrez tripled down the left field line to plate Hrdlicka. Logan Rycraft singled in Gutierrez to pull the Bearcats within 5-4.
Alex Slocum started the sixth in relief of Brown and Grove gave the Hornets an insurance run with a two out home run. After a double by Minnick Ethan Griswold relieved Slocum and gave up a walk to Dees before getting a ground ball to third to end the inning.
Rycraft led off the top of the seventh for the Bearcats with a single and Peter Carlson tied the game with a two run homer to left field. Hornet starter Ryan Lee hit the next batter and was relieved by Adam Thies who allowed a walk before getting a double play to end the inning.
Thies got a pop up to start the top of the eighth and then gave up a walk to Hrlicka, a single to Gutierrez and a walk to Rycraft to load the bases. Drew Scrimsher came on in relief of Thies and Carlson put his first pitch over the wall in left for a grand slam that gave the Bearcats a 10-6 lead. Calvin Rudolph followed with a single before Connor Quick homered to left center to make it 12-6.
The Hornets went down on order for the only time in the game in the bottom of the eighth. Trey Taylor, a senior who has missed most of the season with an injury, started the ninth and got a pop up before being pulled for Connor Burns who finished the inning. Dees led off the Hornet half of the ninth with a single and Mitchell Sloan worked a walk to force the Bearcats into a pitching change. Trevor Dudar came in an got the final three outs to end the game.
Grove was three for five with a homer, two runs and an RBI while Dees went three for four with a double, a walk, a run and an RBI.
The Hornets will begin the postseason on May 9 when they take on Pittsburg State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament at Ortolani Field in Pittsburg, Kan. The Hornets finished as the fifth seed while the Gorillas will be the fourth seed. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
