April 22, 2023 – Emporia State fell to Missouri Western 4-3 on Saturday afternoon from Glennen Field in a game where both teams held two different leads.
Graham Brunner started the game on the mound for Emporia State and retired the first three Griffon batters in order.
Kadyn Williams gave the Hornets an early 1-0 lead for the second consecutive game as hit a leadoff home run, his sixth of the season to put the Hornets ahead through one inning.
Brunner continued to settle into the game as he faced the minimum through three innings, allowing just one hit from Missouri Western.
The Griffons were finally able to strike in the fourth inning as they used four hits and one Hornet error to score a pair of runs and take a 2-1 lead over Emporia State.
Emporia State remained behind by one run until the Hornets rallied in the bottom of the fifth.
Patryk Hernandez and
Gibrian Pena led off the inning with back-to-back singles. With one out,
Brenden Tauber laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Hernandez from third and tie the game 2-2.
Kadyn Williams came through for his second RBI of the game with a two-out single to score Pena and give Emporia State a 3-2 lead over the Griffons.
Missouri Western threatened in the top of the sixth as they had two runners on and one out in the inning which forced the Hornets to make a pitching change.
Braden Meek entered the game and forced a double play to maintain the 3-2 lead for Emporia State.
The seventh inning was scoreless for both teams before the Griffons were able to regain the advantage in the eighth. Missouri Western scored a pair of runs on three hits, including a two-out single to take a 4-3 lead over the Hornets.
Emporia State threatened in the ninth inning as
Jake Bucovetsky led off the frame with a pinch-hit double.
Gibrian Pena grounded to the right side to advance the runner to third with one out. The following batter, the Griffons fielded a grounded ball and cut down the potential tying run at home plate as the Hornets fell 4-3 against the Griffons in game two of the series.
Kadyn Williams went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI while
TJ Racherbaumer went 1-2 with two walks.
Emporia State will wrap up their three-game series against Missouri Western on Sunday, April 23. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Glennen Field.
