March 28, 2024 - Emporia State baseball dropped an extra inning battle against Central Oklahoma on Thursday night, as the Hornets fell 7-6 to the Bronchos in game one of the series.
In the top of the first, Emporia State struck first as
Logan Myers reached to lead off the inning as the Bronchos committed a fielding error before Myers came around to score on a sacrifice fly from
Kadyn Williams. Central Oklahoma responded in the bottom half, getting an RBI double with two outs to even the score 1-1.
Dom Oliverio opened the second inning with a leadoff double, before scoring on a two-out RBI double from
Joe Daneff as the Hornets regained a 2-1 lead over the Bronchos.
Following a scoreless bottom of the second and top of the third, Central Oklahoma got two runs in the bottom of the third with a two-out home run to take a 3-2 lead. The Hornets wasted little time to respond, getting an RBI double from
TJ Racherbaumer to score
Patryk Hernandez and even the score at 3-3 before a sacrifice fly from
Joe Daneff put the Hornets ahead. The lead shifted back to the Bronchos in the bottom of the fifth as another two-out two run home run put Central Oklahoma ahead 5-4.
Emporia State loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth and were able to get one run to even the game heading to the bottom half.
Eli Hernandez took over on the mound for Emporia State starter
Cade Barton and after allowing a leadoff walk, Hernandez stranded the runner with the help of a two-out strikeout to keep the game tied 5-5 heading to the late innings. Both the Hornets and Bronchos went down in order in the seventh, as Hernandez added two more strikeouts to his total to keep the game knotted at 5-5.
In the eighth, Emporia State threatened the Bronchos as they advanced two runners into scoring position with one out but were unable to push a run across. Central Oklahoma pushed in front in the bottom half of the inning, as another two-out hit, this time from Haden O'Toole, gave the Bronchos a 6-5 advantage over Emporia State.
The Hornets got runners on the corners with one out before an RBI fielder's choice from
Patryk Hernandez tied the game 6-6. In the bottom of the ninth,
Matthew Postier took the mound for Emporia State and used just ten pitches to strikeout the side and force extra innings. After the Hornets were retired in order in the top of the tenth, Central Oklahoma got two runners in scoring position before Postier got a strikeout and a groundout to second base to push the game to the 11
th inning.
Emporia State got a leadoff walk from
Konner Hatfield and a single from
Logan Myers to open the inning before they advanced into scoring position on a sac bunt. The inning was ended on a line drive double play as the Hornets went scoreless. Central Oklahoma got a leadoff walk and a one-out double to put two in scoring position before a walk-off single from Kaleb Glass gave the Bronchos a 7-6 win in game one of the series.
At the plate, six Hornets recorded a hits while
Dom Oliverio went 3-4 with a walk and three runs scored.
Joe Daneff recorded two RBI while
TJ Racherbaumer,
Patryk Hernandez and
Kadyn Williams each had an RBI of their own.
Cade Barton pitched 5.0 innings with five strikeouts while
Eli Hernandez and
Matthew Postier each had four strikeouts in relief.
Game two of the Hornets' series against Central Oklahoma will be on Friday, March 29 with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
