February 18 – For the second consecutive afternoon, Emporia State split a doubleheader with CSU-Pueblo. The Hornets dropped game one 9-2 before taking game two 9-5 on Sunday afternoon from Glennen Field.
Game 1
Both the Hornets and Thunderwolves were held without a hit in the first two frames of game one before CSU-Pueblo struck first in the top of the third.
With one out, a hit-by-pitch followed by a two-run home run gave the Thunderwolves a 2-0 lead over the Hornets.
The first of two runs for Emporia State in game one came in the bottom of the fourth as
Kadyn Williams got the inning started with a triple before scoring two batters later, scoring on an RBI single from
Patryk Hernandez.
CSU-Pueblo rallied again in the top of the fifth with four runs on three hits as the lead for the Thunderwolves swelled to 6-1.
A solo home run from
Logan Myers would get one run back for the Hornets but Emporia State was unable to inch any closer, as the visitors scored three more runs over the next two innings as Emporia State fell 9-2 in game one of the doubleheader.
Five different Hornets recorded a hit in game one with
Logan Myers and
Patryk Hernandez each recording one RBI.
Game 2
Seth Stover started game two on the hill for the Hornets and retired CSU-Pueblo in order.
The Hornets wasted little time in the bottom half, as
Kadyn Williams lifted a one-out solo home run down the right field line to put Emporia State in front 1-0.
Logan Myers followed the home run with a four-pitch walk and a stolen base before coming around to score on an RBI single from
Patryk Hernandez.
Two hits and an error allowed CSU-Pueblo to get both runs back and tie the game 2-2 heading into the bottom of the second.
In the bottom half, a pair of two-out doubles restored a 5-2 lead for the Hornets. With two runners on,
Kadyn Williams doubled to right center to put the Hornets ahead 4-2.
Logan Myers followed the Williams double with one of his own and Emporia State took a 5-2 through two innings.
In the third, the Thunderwolves used back-to-back home runs to score three runs and tie the game 5-5.
The score remained knotted at 5-5 before the Hornets broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fifth with four runs.
Following a leadoff single from
Patryk Hernandez,
Austin Hamm hit his first career home run to put the Hornets ahead 7-5. After a single from
TJ Racherbaumer and a walk from
Joel Anderson, Racherbaumer stole third and scored on a throwing error from the Thunderwolves to put extend the Emporia State lead to 8-5.
Anderson advanced to third on the throwing error and would then score on a wild pitch to complete the four-run fifth inning and give Emporia State a 9-5 lead.
Game two settled into a pitcher's duel late, highlighted by Hornet reliever
Tanner Dawe who took over in the fifth and pitched four shutout innings with just three hits allowed and five strikeouts. Dawe propelled the Hornets through the eighth inning, still holding a 9-5 lead.
In the ninth,
Brady Beverman took over for Dawe and allowed just one hit and threw a scoreless inning to clinch the 9-5 win for the Hornets.
Kadyn Williams,
Patryk Hernandez and
TJ Racherbaumer each had two hits while Williams drove in three runs for the Hornets.
On the mound,
Seth Stover allowed five runs and three earned in four innings and struck out three as he took home a no decision.
Tanner Dawe got his second win of the season as he threw four scoreless innings with five strikeouts and
Brady Beverman pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the game for Emporia State.
Emporia State will return to action on Tuesday, February 20 for their first midweek matchup of the season against Northwestern Oklahoma in Alva, Okla. Game time against the Rangers is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
