HORNET BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH 12-6 WIN OVER NORTHERN STATE

February 6, 2022-Emporia State scored the first 11 runs of the game and coasted to a 12-6 season opening victory over Northern State in their opening game of the Edmond First Pitch Classic.
 
Aaron Bechtel retired the Wolves in order with two strikeouts in the top of the first before the Hornets scored three runs without a hit in the bottom of the inning.  Sam Chaput manufactured the first run by walking, going to second on a failed pickoff attempt, taking third on a flyout and scoring on a passed ball.  Chandler Bloomer walked with the bases loaded to plate Javier Pena and Kadyn Williams hit a sac fly for a 3-0 lead after one inning.
 
Emporia State went up 5-0 when Lukas Rich hit a two RBI single for Emporia State's first hit of the game.  He drove in Chaput and Pena who had both walked.
 
The Hornets scored six more in the bottom of the fourth on four hits.  With one out Blake Carroll doubled and went to third on a single by Pena.  Rich was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Carroll came home on a wild pitch.  Three straight walks led to two more runs with Bloomer and Williams picking up RBI.  TJ Racherbaumer delivered a two run single to center to make it 10-0 before Brenden Tauber reached on an error that scored Williams as the Hornets took an 11-0 lead into the fifth inning.
 
The Wolves got their first run off Bechtel on a two out RBI double by Karson Hesser in the top of the fifth. The Hornets got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Pena led off with a triple and scored on Rich's single through the right side.
 
A solo homer to Reece Ragatz and a sac fly to Austin Portner in the top of the sixth pulled the Wolves to within 12-3 after six innings.  Northern State added three runs in the top of the ninth on a two RBI double by Ragatz who would late score on a wild pitch before Hayden Baumwart struckout Alex Gauer to end the game.
 
Aaron Bechtel picked up the win in his Hornet debut, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Lukas Rich was two for three with three RBI and two runs scored while Javier Pena went two for three with three runs scored.  Sam Chaput was two for four with two walks and two runs scored while Blake Carroll scored two runs.
 
The Hornets are back in action on Monday at 12 noon when they play Southwestern Oklahoma on the second day of the Edmond First Pitch Classic.