HORNETS FALL 3-2 AT CENTRAL MISSOURI IN FIRST GAME OF MIAA TOURNEY OPENING ROUND SERIES

May 13, 2021-Emporia State had the go ahead run at the plate in the top of the ninth in a 3-2 loss to #5 Central Missouri in the first game of the MIAA Tournament Opening Round Series in Warrensburg, Mo. on Thursday.
 
The Mules opened the scoring with a run in the first.  They loaded the bases on a single, double and walk before Cole Taylor hit a sac fly to plate Erik Webb. Hornet starter Jake Barton then got a flyout to end the inning and keep it a 1-0 game.
 
Christian Roduner led off the third for the Hornets with a walk and went to second on a passed ball.  Kade Graff tried to lay down a sac bunt but Roduner was thrown out at third for the first out of the inning.  With two outs Cooper Minnick doubled to left, driving in Mooney and tying the game at 1-1.
 
Central Missouri got two on to start the bottom of the third on an error and a walk but Barton was able to retire the next three Mules to keep the game tied at 1-1. 
 
Brady Michel started the fourth by reaching on an error.  With one out Javier Pena doubled to left center and Michel advanced to third.  Roduner flied out to shallow right for the second out of the inning.  Mooney then laid down a bunt and was able to slide into the base in front of the throw allowing Michel to score and give the Hornets 2-1.
 
The Mules answered with two of their own in the bottom of the fourth.  Barton struck out Harrison Schnurbusch to open the inning before Donovan Ditto singled up the middle.  Barton then struck out Scott Wolverton for his 205^th career strikeout to tie Tanner Cairns for eighth on the Hornets career list.  Josh Schumacher followed with a triple down the right field line that scored Ditto and tied the game at 2-2.  Webb then hit a grounder to third but Mooney's throw pulled Chandler Bloomer off the bag allowing Schumacher to score. Barton ended the inning by striking out MIAA Player of the Year Dusty Stroup.
 
Minnick threw out Webb trying to steal third to end the seventh inning.  With one out in the eighth Michel singled to center and Sam Chaput followed with another single to put runners at first and second.  Pena then hit a ground ball that hit pinch runner Sawyer Slayden for the second out of the inning.  Roduner then hit a chopper up the middle and the throw to first was high, but Chaput was tried to score from second and was out at the plate to end the inning.
 
Barton retired the Mules in order in the bottom of the eighth to keep it a one run game going to the ninth.  With one out Graff worked a walk and with two outs Minnick came to the plate representing the go ahead run.  He would hit a line drive to center that ended the game as Central Missouri took a 1-0 lead in the series.
 
Barton scattered seven hits over 8.0 innings and allowed three runs, two of the earned with three strikeouts.  Mooney was one for three with a run and an RBI while Michel scored a run and Minnick had an RBI.
 
The Hornets will try to even the series and force a third game on Friday.  First pitch of game two of the series is set for 12 noon with the if necessary game to follow approximately 30 minutes after if needed.