Baseball | 1/30/2020 1:02:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
vs Pittsburg State Gorillas (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Friday, Jan. 31 • 4:00 p.m. • Wendell Simmons Field • Edmond, Okla.
Series Record: ESU leads 84-40
Last Meeting: at PSU 5, ESU 4 (May 9, 2019)
vs Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Saturday, Feb. 1 • 10:00 p.m. • Wendell Simmons Field • Edmond, Okla.
Series Record: ESU leads 19-17
Last Meeting: SWOSU 15, ESU 5 (Feb. 3, 2019)
vs Henderson State Reddies (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Sunday, Feb. 2 • 4:00 p.m. • Wendell Simmons Field • Edmond, Okla.
Series Record: HSU leads 1-0
Last Meeting: HSU 4, ESU 2 (May 15, 2015)
Live Stats (for all games) •
Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at CSU-Pueblo • Feb. 7-9, 2019 • Rawlings Field • Pueblo, Colo.
GETTING STARTED
The Hornets begin the 2020 season at the Edmond First Pitch Classic hosted by Central Oklahoma. Emporia State will open the season against Pittsburg State on Friday before taking on Southwestern Oklahoma on Saturday and Henderson State on Sunday.
IT'S A SMALL WORLD
Emporia State baseball has a long reach as evidenced by the coaching staffs of the teams involved in the First Pitch Classic. Four of the seven teams involved in the tournament (Emporia State, Central Oklahoma, Pittsburg State, and Southwestern Oklahoma) have an Emporia State alum on their coaching staff.
THE COACHES
Seth Wheeler is 27-22 in his second season as the Hornets head coach. He is 1-3 against Pittsburg State, 0-1 against Southwestern Oklahoma and this will be his first meeting with Henderson State.
Bob Fornelli is 31-21 in his second season at Pittsburg State. He is 936-400 in his 24th year as a head coach including a 599-266 record in 15 years at Emporia State. He is 3-1 against the Hornets at Pittsburg State and was 13-2 against the Hornets while at Ft. Hays State.
Zack Saunders is 203-175 in his ninth year at Southwestern Oklahoma. He is 1-0 against Emporia State.
Cody Wooten is 234-220-1 in his tenth year at Henderson State. He is 1-0 against Emporia State.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State went 27-22 overall and 19-14 in the MIAA last season. They are set to return four every day starters and seven pitchers.
Cooper Minnick,
Connor Hurst,
Paul Claassen and
Jake Barton were last year. They will also return two conference Gold Glove winners.
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State was 31-21, 20-12 in the MIAA last season.
Emporia State leads the all-time series 84-40.
In their last meeting the Hornets fell 5-4 in the 2020 MIAA tournament.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Southwestern Oklahoma was 24-23 overall and 20-13 in the GAC last season.
Emporia State leads the all-time series 19-17.
The Hornets fell 15-5 in last year's First Pitch Classic in their last meeting.
SCOUTING THE REDDIES
Henderson State was 25-22, 18-14 in the GAC last season.
The Reddies the all-time series 1-0, picking up a 4-2 win in the 2015 Central Regional Tournament.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will stay on the road as they travel to Colorado State-Pueblo next weekend for a four game series with the Thunderwolves. First pitch on Friday is set for 3:00 p.m. (CT) with a doubleheader on Saturday and single game on Sunday.
