March 5, 2024 – Emporia State shutout Upper Iowa for the second straight game as the Hornets defeated the Peacocks 12-0 in seven innings on Tuesday afternoon at Trusler Sports Complex.
Graham Brunner returned to the mound for the first time since the series against CSU-Pueblo and retired the Peacocks in order in the first inning with one strikeout. After the scoreless first for Upper Iowa, Emporia State put together a five-run bottom half.
Logan Myers and
Kadyn Williams drew back-to-back walks to open the inning before Myers scored on an RBI double from
Austin Hamm.
Dom Oliverio loaded the bases with a one-out walk before
Joe Daneff delivered a bases-clearing triple down the right field line and eventually scoring on an errant relay throw as the Hornets led 5-0 through one frame.
Greg Ross took over on the mound for Emporia State in the second and after allowing a leadoff single, struck out the side to keep Upper Iowa off the scoreboard. Both teams went scoreless in the second and third frames before the Hornets added three more in the fourth inning. With two outs and runners on the corners in the fourth,
Joe Daneff singled to bring both runners around and improve the lead to 7-0. Daneff came around to score the next at-bat on an RBI single from
Dylan Brisbois as the Hornets led 8-0.
Ross' final inning of work came in the fifth as he continued to keep the Peacocks off the scoreboard before Emporia State grabbed another run in the bottom half. With one out,
Patryk Hernandez delivered a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 9-0.
Jake Shaults took the mound in the sixth and faced the minimum, forcing a double play to eliminate a walk and keep the shutout intact. In the bottom of the sixth, the Hornets grabbed three more runs in their final at-bat.
Joe Daneff scored on a wild pitch and
Jackson Truman delivered his first career RBI single to score
Mason Sturdy. The final run came on a wild pitch as
Andrew Rantz scored from third to boost the lead to 12-0.
In the seventh,
Ryan Sauter took the mound and retired Upper Iowa in order, including with a strikeout for the final out as the Hornets completed the second straight 12-0 shutout win over the Peacocks.
Joe Daneff went 2-2 with a triple, two walks, three runs scored and a career-high five RBI.
Austin Hamm,
Patryk Hernandez and
Andrew Rantz all had two hits while Hamm, Hernandez,
Jackson Truman and
Dylan Brisbois each had an RBI.
Greg Ross picked up his first win of the season as he pitched four shutout relief innings.
Emporia State hits the road for an MIAA series against Missouri Southern their next time out. Game time for the opening game of the series is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8 in Joplin, Mo.
