March 6, 2021-Emporia State got two stellar performances from their starting pitchers but could only come away with a split of their double header at Northwest Missouri on Saturday in Maryville, Mo. The Hornets won the matinee 10-0 in seven innings and then fell 2-1 in a Bearcat walk off in the nightcap.
Game 1
Jake Barton tossed a one hit shutout and benefited from the Hornets continued hot scoring in a 10-0 run rule win the first game of the double header.
Emporia State batted around in a six run second inning to take control early.
Quinn Cherry started things with a lead off homer.
Sam Chaput then walked and went first to third on
Javier Pena's single.
Noah Geekie singled to plate Chaput before
Jack Maki laid down a sac bunt to put runners on second and third.
Christian Roduner then doubled down the right field line to score Pena and Geekie as the Hornets went up 4-0. With two outs
Cooper Minnick and Chandler Bloomer both walked to load the bases. Batting for the second time in the inning Cherry sent a looper into short right field that the second baseman dropped. Minnick and pinch runner
Brigham Mooney both scored but Bloomer was thrown out trying to score from first to end the inning.
Barton took a no hitter into the fourth before giving up a one out double. He then struck out the next two Bearcats to end the inning.
The Hornets added four more runs in the top of the sixth. Geekie reached on a field error by the pitcher to open the inning followed by walks to Maki and Mooney to load the bases.
Blake Carroll then delivered a three-run triple to right field to make it 9-0. Minnick singled in Carroll to get the spread to ten runs. Barton gave up two walks in the bottom of the seventh but got his ninth strikeout followed by a ground out to end the game.
No Hornet was credited with more than one hit in the game. Carroll was one for four with three RBI, a triple and a run scored while Geekie was one for four with two runs and an RBI. Barton went the distance on the mound, allowing one hit while striking out nine and walking five.
Game 2
Jared Kengott took a one hit shut out with ten strikeouts and only two walks into the bottom of the ninth in the second game before Northwest was able to rally for two runs with two outs for a walkoff 2-1 win.
Emporia State got on the board in the top of the first when
Blake Carroll led off with a triple and scored on
Cooper Minnick's ground out for a 1-0 lead. Kengott gave up a single and a walk in the bottom of the first and then retired the next 16 batters.
The Hornets appeared to get a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
Brady Michel led off with a walk and with two outs
Jack Maki singled to left. With a 3-1 count
Brigham Mooney hit ball out of the park down the left field line that would have given Emporia State a 4-0 lead but was ruled foul. He was then called out on strikes on the next pitch to end the inning. The Hornets also put two runners on in the top of the eighth when Minnick was hit by a pitch and Bloomer singled to right.
Quinn Cherry then popped up to short and Michel grounded out to short to end the inning.
Kengott struck out the side in the eighth and the Hornets had three ground outs in the top of the ninth as Emporia State took a 1-0 lead into the Bearcats final at bat. After a pop up to start the inning, Donovan Warren reach first after striking out on a wild pitch. Jacob Pinkerton popped up to Kengott for the second out before Brett Holden worked a walk. Connor Quick then followed with a two RBI double to give the Bearcats a 2-1 walk off win.
Kengott allowed two runs on two hits with 11 strikeouts and just three walks in 8.2 innings. Carroll was one for three with a triple and a run scored while Minnick had the only RBI for the Hornets.
The rubber match of the series is set for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at Bearcat Field in Maryville, Mo.
