May 8, 2021-Emporia State's five game winning streak came to an end with a 9-7 loss at Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburg, Kan. The Hornets won the series 2-1 and clinched a spot in the MIAA Opening Round Series next weekend.
For the first time in the series and first time in six games Emporia State failed to score in the first inning. Pitt State got three hits in the bottom of the first but
Cooper Minnick threw out a runner trying to steal and
Drew Repp got a strikeout to end the inning.
Brady Michel walked and
Sam Chaput singled to start the second for the Hornets. After a sac bunt
Javier Pena hit a sac fly to give Emporia State a 1-0 lead.
Kademon Graff followed with a two run homer to right and the Hornets went up 3-0.
Chandler Bloomer made it 4-0 with a two out, solo home run in the top of the third. Graff then made it 5-0 with his second homer of the game in the top of the fourth.
Pitt State got on the board with a two run double by Caleb Carr in the bottom of the fourth. The Hornets got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth and could have had more. Chaput led off with a walk and went to second on a single by
Brigham Mooney. Pena advanced the runners with a sac bunt, before Chaput was caught too far off third for the second out of the inning. Graff followed with an RBI single to make it 6-2 but was caught stealing to end the inning.
The Gorillas scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take their first lead of the series. Aaron Gerdes hit a two run home run to pull Pitt State within two runs. Carr singled and pinch hitter Braeden Hinton doubled down the line to chase Repp.
Malachi Crone came on in relief and threw a wild pitch allowing Carr to score before Blaine Ohlmeier hit a two run home run to make it 7-6 after six innings.
With two outs in the top of the seventh Minnick tied things up with a home run to left field making it 7-7.
Zachary Ebert came in to start the bottom of the seventh and produced a shutdown inning with three straight strikeouts.
Carr homered to lead off the bottom of the eighth and give Pitt State an 8-7 lead. After two fly outs Ebert got Mason Hartman to hit a ground ball to second that
Jack Maki could not field cleanly. Hartman then stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before Cruz Aranda singled him home to give the Gorillas an insurance run.
Pena singled to lead off the top of the ninth but pinch hitter
Ryan Krolikowski hit into a double play before pinch hitter
Christian Roduner hit a line drive to right that ended the game.
Graff went three for three with two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored while Minnick was two for four with a solo homer.
Emporia State will advance to the MIAA Tournament Opening Round Series on Friday at Central Missouri. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Thompkins Field.
