Baseball | 3/25/2021 8:06:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (6-11, 3-9 MIAA)
vs. Rogers State Hillcats (10-6, 7-5 MIAA)
Friday, March 26 • 5:00 p.m. • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Saturday, March 27 • 12:00 p.m. (DH) • Trusler Sports Complex • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: First Meeting
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Live Stats: esuhornets.com Video Stream: themiaanetwork.com/esuhornets
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (Friday only)
Audio Stream: www.kvoe.com (Friday only)
Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Pittsburg State • March 30, 2021
All Ortolani Field • Pittsburg, Kan.
STARTING TOUGH
Emporia State takes on Rogers State to wrap up a nine game home stand. The Hornets have had the toughest schedule in the MIAA to start the season with their first four conference opponents a combined 44-22 on the year.
LAST AT BAT
Emporia State was swept by sixth ranked Central Missouri in a three game series at the Trusler Sports Complex last weekend. The Hornets fell 15-1 in the first game before dropping the matinee of Saturday's double header 7-4 and falling 15-5 in the finale.
THE COACHES
Seth Wheeler is 46-40 in his third season as the Hornets head coach. This is his first meeting with Rogers State.
Chris Klimas is 159-127 in his seventh season at Rogers State. This is his first meeting with Emporia State.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 6-11, 3-9 in the MIAA. As a team they are hitting .274 with a 5.40 ERA and .953 fielding percentage.
Brady Michel is fifth in the MIAA in batting average at .420 and ranks sixth with a .491 on base percentage.
Blake Carroll is leading the MIAA with five triples and 13 runs scored. His next triple will move him into a tie for tenth on the ESU single season list. Chandler Bloomer is batting .328 with 12 RBI and 13 runs scored.
Jake Barton is 2-3 with a 4.33 ERA and 35 strikeouts while
Drew Repp is 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA and 21 strikeouts. Jarred Kengott is 1-3 with a 2.66 ERA and 26 strikeouts but missed his last start. The starting pitchers are 4-8 with a 4.01 ERA while the bullpen is 2-3 with a 7.95 ERA.
SCOUTING THE HILLCATS
Rogers State is 10-6 overall and 7-5 in the MIAA. They took one of three games from Central Missouri to open MIAA play, then swept Missouri Western before getting swept by Northwest Missouri. The Hillcats won three at Fort Hays State last weekend. They have a .291 team batting average and rank second in the MIAA with a .974 team fielding percentage and are third in the league with a 4.50 team ERA. Brett Karalius is 3-1 on the year with a 2.15 ERA that ranks sixth in the MIAA. Jackson Somonsgaard is ninth in the league with 30 strikeouts while Jordan Ewig has two saves to rank sixth in the MIAA. Offensively Brandon Bradshaw is fourth in the MIAA with a .494 on base percentage and is tied for seventh with 18 RBI. Skyler Nelson is tied for fifth in the league with 19 RBI.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first meeting between the Hornets and the Hillcats. Baseball was one of the first two sports for Rogers State when the began their athletic department in 2006.
LAST AT BAT AGAINST ROGERS STATE
The two teams were scheduled to meet almost exactly one year ago on March 27-29 in Claremore, Okla. before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all sports.
UP NEXT
The Hornets are scheduled to travel to Pittsburg State on Tuesday, March 30 for a non-conference game against the Gorillas. First pitch from Al Ortolani Field in Pittsburg, Kan. is set for 6:00 p.m.
