EMPORIA STATE CAPTURES FINAL GAME OF SERIES 7-3 AT CSU-Pueblo

February 9, 2020-Emporia State got another quality outing from their starting pitcher on the way to a 7-3 win at Colorado State-Pueblo on Sunday.
 
The Hornets took advantage of two first inning errors by the Thunderwolves to take a 1-0 lead. Blake Carroll singled to lead off the inning and went to second on an error by the Pack left fielder.  Cooper Minnick reached on another error by the second baseman that allowed Carroll to score for a 1-0 Emporia State lead.  Drew Repp gave up back to back singles to open the bottom of the first and after a passed ball and two grounds outs the Thunderwolves tied the score at 1-1. The score remained tied until the sixth when Billy Reyes led off the Pack half of the inning with a single and stole second.  Two ground outs later and CSU-P was up 2-1.
 
Emporia State erupted for five runs in the top of the seventh.  Tyrus Barclay, Jack Maki and Carroll all reached on singles to load the bases.  Minnick cleared the bases with a three run double and came around to score on Josh Norlin's single.  A walk and wild pitch sent Norlin to third and Ryan Krowlikowski brought him home with a pinch hit RBI ground out to give the Hornets a 6-2 lead at the seventh inning stretch.
 
Reyes singled and Mike Gonzalez doubled him home as the Thunderwolves cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth.  The Hornets got the run back in the top of the ninth as Norlin led off with a double and stole third. After back to back walks CSU-P could not turn a double play and Norlin scored on Paul Claassen's fielder's choice. Jarrett Seaton, who came on in relief in the seventh, worked a perfect ninth as he picked up his second save of the season.
 
Minnick had three RBI while Carroll was three for four with two runs scored and Norlin went two for four with two runs.
 
The Hornets will return to Colorado next weekend for a four game series at Metro State of Denver.  First pitch of game one is set for 12 noon (MT)/1:00 p.m. (CT) in Denver.