February 19, 2023 – Emporia State split a Sunday doubleheader with Augustana as the Hornets fell 4-2 in 11 innings in game one before rebounding with a 6-1 series finale win in game two.
Game One
In the first game of the doubleheader, both the Hornets and Vikings controlled much of the game from the mound.
The Vikings threatened in the first inning as they recorded three consecutive singles before
Noah Geekie forced a ground ball which was turned into a 4-6-3 double play to escape the inning without a run allowed.
Following a scoreless bottom of the first from Emporia State, Augustana was able to find their way onto the scoreboard with a pair of hits to leadoff the inning. A leadoff double followed by a single to center gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead over the Hornets.
Geekie limited the damage as he recorded a pair of strikeouts in addition to the Hornet defense helping out as
TJ Racherbaumer threw out an attempted steal of second base.
In the bottom of the second inning,
Jake Bucovetsky laced a one-out double to left field before stealing third base with
Palmer Hutchison at the plate. Hutchison capitalized as he recorded an RBI single into left center to score Bucovetsky and tie the game 1-1.
Following the second inning, the score would remain tied over the next eight innings as both teams controlled the game from the mound.
Noah Geekie tallied 6.0 innings pitched allowing just one run on seven hits while recording seven strikeouts.
Greg Ross followed Geekie as he pitched the final five innings and allowed just two runners on base until the 11
th inning.
In the 11
th inning, Augustana finally broke through with a three-run home run to take a 4-1 lead over Emporia State.
In the bottom half of the inning,
Palmer Hutchison looked to jumpstart the comeback with a leadoff solo home run to left field to trim the deficit to 4-2.
Emporia State was unable to generate a comeback as a trio of flyouts ended game one as the Hornets fell 4-2 to Augustana.
Kadyn Williams led the Hornets as he went 3-5 from the plate.
Palmer Hutchison and
Jake Bucovetsky both went 2-5 while Hutchison drove in both runs for Emporia State.
Game Two
Both teams were held scoreless in the first inning of game two before Emporia State took the lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Jake Bucovetsky led off the second with a solo home run to right field to put the Hornets ahead 1-0.
Emporia State expanded their lead with another long ball, this time from
Quinton Carlberg.
Following a walk drawn by Patryck Hernandez, Carlberg homered to center field as the Hornets took a 3-0 lead over the Vikings.
Both teams went scoreless in the third inning before Augustana tallied their lone run in the top of the fourth inning.
The Vikings hit a solo home run to right field as they trimmed the Hornet lead to 3-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth inning.
Emporia State wasted little time restoring their three-run advantage as they added another run in the bottom half of the inning.
With two outs, Patryck Hernandez homered to centerfield as the Hornets led Augustana 4-1 through four innings.
The Vikings were retired in order in the top of the fifth inning before the Hornets added their final two runs of the game in the bottom half of fifth.
Brenden Tauber jumpstarted the inning with a leadoff single and would later steal third with two outs and
Andrew Rantz at the plate. Following the steal, Rantz doubled down the left field line to score Tauber and extend the Hornet lead to 5-1.
The Hornets added one more with a Bucovetsky RBI single to score Rantz as Emporia State took a 6-1 lead into the final two innings.
Ian Lanik kept the Vikings off the scoreboard for the final two frames as Emporia State won the final game of the series 6-1 over Augustana.
Six different Hornets recorded a hit in game two with
Jake Bucovetsky going 2-3 from the plate with two RBI.
On the mound,
Ian Lanik pitched all seven innings for the Hornets and allowed one run on four hits while striking out four batters and allowing just one walk.
Emporia State will return to action on Tuesday, February 21 against Northwestern Oklahoma before opening MIAA action against Northeastern State over the weekend. The first pitch on Tuesday in Alva, Okla. is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
