Series Against Second Ranked Central Missouri Up Next For Emporia State Baseball

Baseball | 4/11/2024 2:58:00 PM

Games 40-42
Emporia State Hornets (16-23, 7-17 MIAA)
vs #2 Central Missouri Mules (34-4, 22-2 MIAA)
Friday, April 12 • 6:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Glennen Field
Saturday, April 13 • 2:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Glennen Field
Sunday, April 14 • 1:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Glennen Field
Series Record: UCM leads 140-66 • Last Meeting: UCM 10, ESU 2 (3/12/23)
Live Stats: esuhornets.com • Video: The MIAA Network
Radio: KVOE104.9 FM • Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Up Next: at Pittsburg State • April 16 • Pittsburg, Kan.

HORNETS MEET THE MULES
Emporia State plays host to second-ranked Central Missouri in a three-game set at Trusler Sports Complex.

THE COACHES
Brad Hill is 16-23 in his first season as the Hornets head coach and has a career record of 902-505-3.
Kyle Crookes is 380-127 in his 10th year at Central Missouri.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is in their first season under head coach Brad Hill and the Hornets are 16-23 on the season and 7-17 in the MIAA. As a team, the Hornets rank sixth in home runs, fourth in walks, and seventh in runs scored. Eight pitchers have made ten or more appearances with Cade Barton and Ian Lanik each having ten starts and 47 or more innings pitched. They have 53 and 41 strikeouts respectively. At the plate, Kadyn Williams has a team-high .364 average with 51 hits, 20 extra-base hits, and 44 RBI with seven steals. Mason Sturdy and Logan Myers are hitting .323 and .303 while Dom Oliverio is batting .290. Williams also leads the Hornets with 32 walks and has a team-high seven home runs, including three in the first meeting against Pittsburg State this season while also ranking in the top ten in the MIAA in RBI, walks and hits.

SCOUTING THE MULES
Central Missouri is 34-4 on the season and 22-2 in the MIAA as they enter the weekend ranked second in the nation. As a team, the Mules lead the nation in batting average, home runs per game, slugging percentage and runs scored. Brennen van Breusegen has a team-high .419 average with 14 home runs, 46 RBI and 14 stolen bases. Seven more hitters have eight or more home runs including Max Holy who has 52 RBI on the season. On the mound, Conner Wolf has pitched a team-high 59.0 innings and has 56 strikeouts with just 8 walks allowed. Harrison Babbitt has 19.0 relief innings to lead the team and is posting a 3-1 record with a 2.37 ERA. 

SERIES HISTORY
Central Missouri leads the all-time series 140-66.

LAST TIME VS. CENTRAL MISSOURI
The Hornets and Mules met at Trusler Sports Complex last season and Emporia State took game two of the series 3-2 against Central Missouri.

UP NEXT
Emporia State travels for a nonconference game against Pittsburg State on April 16 before taking on Fort Hays State in a pivotal road series on April 19-21 in Hays, Kan.

TOP OF THE HILL
Brad Hill is in his first season at the helm of the Hornet Baseball program and has a 16-23 record. Hill has a career record of 902-505-3 in 25 seasons leading UCM, Kansas State and Emporia State. In his career, Hill has taken 13 teams to the NCAA Tournament, nine trips with the Mules and four with the Wildcats. At Central Missouri, Hill made nine NCAA Tournament trips in nine seasons with seven Division II World Series appearances, including the 2003 National Championship.
He moved from Warrensburg to Manhattan following the 2003 national championship and would lead K-State to four NCAA Regional Tournaments and the Wildcats first ever Super Regional berth in 2013.  He was named the ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2009 as the Bat Cats advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
A proven producer of talent, Hill has coached 64 players that were selected in the MLB Draft with 46 at Kansas State and 18 in nine years at Division II Central Missouri.
Hill was a three-time All-American in 1982-84 for the Hornets and is the career record holder in games played (244), home runs (47), and RBI (264), while also ranking second in career doubles, at-bats and base hits in Hornet baseball history.

900 AND COUNTING
Brad Hill currently has 902 wins in his 25th season as a head coach at the Division I and II levels. Hill is the winningest coach at both Central Missouri and Kansas State with 418 and 468 wins at each program. His 418 wins during his time at Central Missouri in addition to his 16 wins this season with the Hornets puts him at eighth-most on the MIAA career coaching wins list with 434.

IN THE FIELD
Infielder Kadyn Williams (Jr./Emporia, Kan.) is in his third season with the Hornets and has started all 39 games. Williams is batting .364 with a OBP just south of .500 at .486. Williams has a team-high 44 RBI, which is also the fifth-highest total in the MIAA. On the season, Williams has six games with four or more RBI, including a three home run, eight RBI performance against Pittsburg State earlier this season. He has also reached base in 37 of 39 games this season and has a hit in 17 of the last 18 games.
Infielder Logan Myers (Fr./Pittsburg, Kan.) has played in 35 games for the Hornets in his first season with the program. Myers has also excelled at reaching base, holding an OBP of .433. He also has nine multi-hit games and six games with multiple RBI, including a 4-5, two home run and five RBI game against CSU-Pueblo (2/17). 
First Basemen Patryk Hernandez (Sr./Leawood, Kan.) has started all 39 games at first base for the Hornets this season and is fourth on the team with a .294 batting average. Hernandez has six doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBI with a .388 OBP. Through the first 39 games, Hernandez has set new career-highs in most offensive categories, including doubles, RBI, walks and runs scored.
Utility Mason Sturdy (Jr./Wamego, Kan.) has played in 20 or more games in each of his first three seasons with Emporia State and has played in 30 this season. Sturdy has a .427 OBP with eight doubles, one home run, 19 RBI and 25 runs scored. Sturdy also has four games with multiple RBI, including two games with two RBI in the series against Rogers State. 
Shortstop Andrew Rantz (So./Topeka, Kan.) has played in 33 games this season after playing in 47 during his freshman season in 2023. This season,  Rantz has a .319 OBP with six doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, and three stolen bases. 
Outfielder Konner Hatfield (Jr./Hollister, Mo.) is in his first season at Emporia State and has 23 starts and 33 games played for the Hornets. Hatfield has a .369 OBP with four doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI, and 21 walks. On opening weekend, Hatfield went 4-6 against NM Highlands with a career-high six RBI. 
Outfielder Dom Oliverio (Fr./Noblesville, In.) is in his first season at Emporia State and played in 30 games for the Hornets. Oliverio is batting .290 with a .379 OBP, four home runs, four doubles, two triples, 16 RBI, and 23 runs scored. He has seven multi-hit games, including a 5-5 game in the series finale against #10 Missouri Southern. 
Designated Hitter Austin Hamm (Sr./Olathe, Kan.) has been with the Hornets since 2020 and has played in a career-high 23 games this season while setting career marks in several offensive categories. Hamm has a .259 average and .348 OBP this season with five home runs, five doubles, 15 RBI, 20 runs scored and nine walks. He has six multi-hit games this season, including a three-hit game against NM Highlands and a four RBI game against Washburn. 
Outfielder Joe Daneff (Sr./Kansas City, Mo.) is batting .226 with a .362 OBP and has four home runs, ten extra-base hits, 25 RBI, and 17 runs scored. Against Upper Iowa (3/5), Daneff went 2-2 and recorded a career-high five RBI in the Hornets 12-0 win. 
Outfielder Drew Jennings (Jr./Overland Park, Kan.) has played in 24 games this season and has a .393 OBP with 16 hits, nine RBI and 15 runs scored. Jennings has five multi-hit games this season and three games with two RBI, including two in the last game against Northwestern Oklahoma.
Designated Hitter Jovanni Toledo (Fr./Tucson, Ariz.) has appeared in nine games and made eight starts at DH for the Hornets in his first season at Emporia State. Toledo is batting .379 with an OBP of .486 with two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored and six walks. He went 4-4 with three runs scored in the series opener against Missouri Western (4/5).

BEHIND THE PLATE
Catcher TJ Racherbaumer (Jr./Hermann, Mo.) has played in 136 career games for the Hornets in his three seasons at Emporia State. This season, Racherbaumer is batting .276 with a .416 OBP and has three home runs, 24 RBI, 24 walks and 28 runs scored. Racherbaumer has eight multi-hit games  this season. In his freshman season in 2022, he was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year, hitting .362 with 41 RBI, ten home runs and 17 doubles. 
Catcher Dylan Brisbois (So./Omaha, Neb.) is in his second season with the Hornets and has made 11 appearances. He has reached base in 11 of 37 plate appearances and has seven hits, including a 2-4 game against Upper Iowa (3/4) which included his first career home run.

ON THE MOUND
Left-handed pitcher Graham Brunner (Sr./Sherwood Park, Alberta) is 2-1 this season with 39 strikeouts and 11 walks allowed in 36.2 innings pitched. Brunner has three games with seven or more strikeouts, including a nine strikeout performance early in the season against CSU-Pueblo (2/17) in just four innings.
Right-handed pitcher Ian Lanik (Jr../Eagle, Neb.) has made nine starts and has a 7.42 ERA across 47.1 innings pitched. Lanik was named MIAA Co-Pitcher of the Week following a complete game shutout against Colorado School of Mines. Last season, Lanik pitched 67.0 innings pitched across 16 appearances with 43 strikeouts while recording five wins, two complete games and one save as he was named Honorable Mention All-MIAA. 
Right-handed pitcher Cade Barton (Jr./Omaha, Neb.) has a 3.18 ERA across a team-high 62.1 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts and just 14 walks allowed. Barton ranks fourth in the MIAA in ERA, ninth in opponent BA, first in innings pitched and fifth in strikeouts.
Right-handed pitcher Tanner Dawe (Jr./London, Ontario) has ten relief appearances in his first season with the Hornets and has a 6.14 ERA across 14.2 innings pitched with a 3-1 record. Against CSU-Pueblo (2/18), Dawe pitched four innings in relief with a career-high five strikeouts. 
Right-handed pitcher Hayden Baumwart (Sr./Emporia, Kan.) has made a team-high 12 appearances this season and has 31 appearances in his Hornet career. This season, Baumwart has pitched a career-high 17.2 innings and has six strikeouts while allowing a .294 opponent batting average and has a 2-2 record out of the bullpen.
Right-handed pitcher Trent Warstler (Jr./Celina, Texas) is in his first season with the Hornets is tied with Baumwart with 12 relief appearances with one start. Warstler has a 1-2 record and a 7.22 ERA across 28.2 innings pitched while striking out 29. In his first career appearance, Warstler went 4.1 innings and struck out a career-high seven against Oklahoma Baptist.
Right-handed pitcher Eli Hernandez (Jr./Ontario, Calif.) is in his first season with the Hornets and has 12 relief appearances while totaling 24.1 innings pitched with 25 strikeouts and just six walks allowed. In a four-inning outing in the series finale against Washburn (3/3), Hernandez recorded a career-high seven strikeouts.
Right-handed pitcher Greg Ross (Jr./Sarnia, Ontario) is in his second season at Emporia State and has made 26 career appearances with five starts. This season, Ross three starts and 11 appearances and has 22 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched. In 2022, Ross made 15 appearances and led Emporia State with five saves.
Right-handed pitcher Brady Beverman (Jr./Olathe, Kan.) is in his first season at Emporia State and is tied for the third-most appearances on the Hornet pitching staff. This season, Beverman has 11 strikeouts in 16.2 innings pitched. In the second matchup against Northwestern Oklahoma, Beverman recorded three strikeouts in two innings.
Right-handed pitcher Seth Stover (Fr./Columbus, Kan.) is in his freshman season with the Hornets and has pitched 20.2 innings through his first six career appearances and has 16 strikeouts and just five walks allowed with a 2-3 record. Against Upper Iowa (3/4), Stover pitched a career-high 6.0 scoreless innings and matched his career-high with four strikeouts. 
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Sauter (Jr./Olathe, Kan.) has made seven appearances this season and has totaled 4.2 innings pitched and has recorded eight strikeouts for the Hornets.
Right-handed pitcher Will Hann (Sr./Olathe, Kan.) has pitched 2.2 relief innings across three appearances and has two strikeouts. Hann pitched 31.1 innings in the 2023 season, his first with the Hornets. Hann totaled 18 strikeouts and allowed just four walks, posting a 3.45 ERA in 20 relief appearances last season.
Right-handed pitcher Jake Shaults (Jr./Towanda, Kan.) has made eight relief appearances in his first season with the Hornets. Shaults has tallied 10.1 innings ptiched with 12 strikeouts. Against Northwest Missouri (2/23), Shaults recorded a career-high four strikeouts in two scoreless innings of relief.
Right handed pitcher Matthew Postier (Jr./Wichita, Kan.) has made four appearances for the Hornets, his first four at Emporia State. He has tallied 6.2 innings pitched and has allowed six hits while striking out seven and has an ERA of 4.05.
Right-handed pitcher Coby Rogers (Jr./Fenton, Mo.) has made three relief appearances this season in his first year at Emporia State. Rogers has tallied 4.0 innings pitched and has four strikeouts with just one walk allowed. 

HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State is playing their 73rd season of baseball in 2024 and has won nearly 2100 games in the program's history. Since 1994, the Hornets have advanced to the MIAA Tournament in 25 of 30 seasons (excluding COVID shortened season in 2020), including 19 straight trips from 2003-2022. 
The Hornets have also won the MIAA Regular Season Title on six occasions with the most recent coming in 2017 and the first happening in 1993. Emporia State has also won the MIAA Tournament twice with wins in 2007 and 2014. The Hornets have also been runners up in the MIAA Tournament on four occasions. 

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
In addition to the success in the MIAA, the Hornets have had a presence in the NCAA Tournament throughout their time in Division II. The Hornets have 14 NCAA regional appearances, including two Regional Championships which allowed Emporia State to advance to their two NCAA D-II College World Series Appearances. The first appearance happened in 2006 and the second happened in the 2009 season. In 2009, the Hornets advanced to the College World Series final where they fell 2-1 against Lynn. 

NAIA NATIONAL PRESENCE
Prior to their transition to the Division II level in the early 1990's, Emporia State had sustained success at the NAIA level. From 1969 under Jack Smitheran to 1991 in year four under Brian Embery, the Hornets were NAIA District 10 Champions 20 times, including 16 straight from 1975 to 1991. 
The success continued through the NAIA Area Tournament, as Emporia State won seven Area 3 Championships, advancing to the NAIA College World Series seven times. After advancing to the NAIA College World Series semifinals for the first time in 1976, the Hornets returned in 1978 as they won the NAIA College World Series with an 8-6 win against Missouri Southern.