EMPORIA STATE BASEBALL OPENS MIAA PLAY WITH 12-6 VICTORY OVER MISSOURI SOUTHERN

February 28, 2020-Emporia State pounded out 12 runs on 13 hits as they opened MIAA play with a 12-6 victory over Missouri Southern.
 
The Hornets got on the board first when Blake Carroll led off the third with a triple to right field.  Cooper Minnick singled through the right side to give Emporia State a 1-0 lead.  Two walks later Sam Chaput blasted a grand slam to right center to put the Hornets up 5-0.
 
The Lions got one run back in the top of the fourth when Marco Navarro singled in Troy Gagan. In the top of the fifth Brad Willis got an RBI single to make it 5-2 before Tommy Stevenson delivered a grand slam of his own to put the Lions up 6-5.
 
Corey Cowan relieved Southern starter Zac Parish to start the Hornet half of the fifth.  With one out CHaput singled to right field followed by a double from Paul Claassen. After a fielder's choice Ryan Krolikowski singled in Claassen to tie the game at 6-6.  Following a Jack Maki walk, Carroll laced a triple inside the bag at first that scored three and gave Emporia State a 9-6 lead.  Cowan walked Minnick and was relieved by Cole Woods who was met by a Josh Norlin single that plated Carroll and gave the Hornets a 10-6 lead.
 
Jake Barton went back to the mound and tossed a shutdown inning with two strikeouts and a ground out on nine total pitches.  The Hornets added a run in the bottom of the seventh on a Norlin sac fly and Barton struck out the side in the top of the eighth.  Emporia State got their last run in the bottom of the eighth when Claassen was hit by a pitch to open the inning and went to third on Brady Michel's single.  With one out Maki hit a towering fly ball on the infield.  Southern's Matt Miller and Henry Kusiak collided trying to catch it.  Kusiak was able to get the ball and force Michel at second but Claassen came home on the play making it 12-6.
 
Mason LeClair took over for Barton to start the ninth and three singles along with two fly ball outs before Coleton Crisp came in to get the final out.
 
Blake Carroll was four for six with three RBI and two runs scored.  Chaput went two for five with four RBI on his grand slam.  Cooper Minnick was two for two with two walks, two RBI and a run scored.
 
Barton went 8.0 innings, allowing six runs, five of them earned, on seven hits with ten strikeouts. 
 
The two teams will meet again on Saturday afternoon in the second game of the three game series.  First pitch at the Trusler Sports Complex is set for 2:00 p.m.