Baseball | 3/16/2021 4:32:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (6-8, 3-6 MIAA)
vs. Central Missouri Mules (12-4, 8-1 MIAA)
Friday, March 19 • 4:00 p.m. • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Saturday, March 20 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: UCM leads 129-65
Last Meeting: at UCM 18, ESU 1 (Feb. 22, 2019)
Live Stats: esuhornets.com Video Stream: themiaanetwork.com/esuhornets
Up Next: vs. Rogers State • March 26-27, 2021
Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
STARTING TOUGH
Emporia State takes on Central Missouri in the fourth straight series against a team that is currently at .500 or above. It is the toughest schedule in the MIAA to start the season with their first four opponents a combined 38-16 on the year.
LAST AT BAT
Drew Repp took a four hit shutout into the ninth but the Hornets could not hold on as Central Oklahoma won 2-1 on Saturday.
Cooper Minnick was two for four with a run scored while Chandler Bloomer was one for four with an RBI. Repp allowed one run on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts in 8.0 innings.
THE COACHES
Seth Wheeler is 46-37 in his third season as the Hornets head coach. He is 1-2 against Central Missouri.
Kyle Crookes is 222-95 in his seventh season at Central Missouri. He is 10-8 against ESU.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 6-8, 3-6 in the MIAA. As a team they are hitting .275 with a 3.90 ERA.
Brady Michel is batting .447 with a 1.086 OPS and nine RBI. Chandler Bloomer is hitting .358 with two homers, 12 runs and 12 RBI while
Blake Carroll has a team high five triples and 13 runs scored. His next triple will move him into a tie for tenth on the ESU single season list.
Cooper Minnick is batting .314 with 13 runs scored.
Jake Barton is 2-2 with a 1.50 ERA and 33 strikeouts while Jarred Kengott is 1-3 with a 2.66 ERA and 26 strikeouts.
Drew Repp is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA and 19 strikeouts. The starting pitchers are 4-6 with a 2.62 ERA while the bullpen is 2-2 with a 6.69 ERA.
SCOUTING THE MULES
Central Missouri is 12-4, 8-1 in the MIAA and have won seven straight games. They are leading the MIAA with a .332 batting average and rank second with a 3.88 team ERA. Erik Webb is leading the MIAA with 19 runs scored and 24 hits and is second with 17 RBI. Mason Green is 4-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 26 strikeouts in five starts. Their bullpen is 6-1 with a 3.26 ERA while their starters are 6-3 with a 4.50 ERA.
SERIES HISTORY
The Mules lead the series 129-65 but the two have split their last 20 games. Due to the COVID pandemic the last meeting between the two was in 2019. It has been four years since the two have met in Emporia with the Hornets taking two of three at Trusler in 2017.
LAST AT BAT AGAINST CENTRAL MO.
After winning the first game of the series 10-7, Emporia State fell 9-1, 18-1 to Central Missouri in both games of a double header in Warrensburg, Mo. in 2019. Emporia State scored five runs on three homers in the eighth to take the 10-7 win in the series opener. The Mules scored nine runs on eight hits in game one of the double header while the Hornets were held to one unearned run on two hits. In the nightcap UCM pounded out 16 hits and Emporia State committed four errors on the way to 18 Mule runs. The Hornets were held to one run on three hits.
UP NEXT
The Hornets wrap up their home stand next weekend with a three game set against Rogers State. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26 in the Trusler Sports Complex.
