February 23, 2024 – Emporia State baseball dropped their MIAA opener 7-3 on Friday afternoon against Northwest Missouri.
Logan Myers led off the game with a single in the top of the first but was left stranded as the Hornets were kept off the board.
The trouble for Emporia State started early as a fielding error and an RBI double from the Bearcats in the first two batters put the Hornets behind 1-0. In the first, Northwest Missouri used four hits and two Hornet errors to score six runs and build 6-0 lead.
Both starting pitchers controlled the game over the next five innings as the score remained 6-0 through six innings.
Northwest Missouri would add a run in the seventh on a double and a throwing error before
Jake Shaults replaced
Cade Barton. Shaults retired three straight with two strikeouts to keep the score at 7-0.
In the eighth, Emporia State would strand their tenth runner of the game following a one-out single from
TJ Racherbaumer. In the bottom half, the Bearcats loaded the bases but were left scoreless as Shaults recorded two more strikeouts.
Emporia State finally broke through in the ninth with three runs.
Kadyn Williams recorded an RBI single and after a single from
Austin Hamm,
Patryk Hernandez singled into centerfield to drive in two more runs and cut the deficit to 7-3. After a pitching change from the Bearcats, the Hornets rally was cut short with back-to-back outs as the Hornets fell 7-3 in game one of the series against Northwest Missouri.
Logan Myers went 4-5 with a run scored.
Kadyn Williams,
Austin Hamm and
Drew Jennings each had two hits for the Hornets while
Patryk Hernandez had two RBI and Williams had one of his own.
Cade Barton pitched 6.0 innings for the Hornets and allowed seven runs with three earned and struck out six Bearcats.
Jake Shaults pitched two relief innings and allowed no hits and struck out four.
Emporia State will take on the Bearcats in game two of the series on Saturday, February 24. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
