April 13, 2024 – Emporia State rolled to a 15-5 win on Saturday afternoon against #2 Central Missouri, forcing a rubber match in the series against the MIAA-leading Mules.
Both the Hornets and Mules went scoreless through the first two frames with just one hit coming from Central Missouri in the second inning. Emporia State starter
Graham Brunner struck out four hitters through the first two innings. After Brunner stranded another Central Missouri runner in the top of the third, Emporia State got the scoring started in the bottom half.
Konner Hatfield led off with a solo home run. With one out, walks by
Andrew Rantz and
Mason Sturdy and a single from
Logan Myers loaded the bases for
Kadyn Williams. Williams wasted little time, as he drove the first pitch over the left field wall to give the Hornets a 5-0 lead.
Central Missouri got their first run in the fourth, on a solo home run by Vance Tobol to make the score 5-1. Emporia State answered back in the bottom of the fourth with three more runs.
Jovanni Toledo tripled to lead off the inning and following a pitching change for the Mules,
Konner Hatfield delivered a two-run home run, his second of the game to extend the lead to 7-1. Later in the inning with two outs,
Mason Sturdy doubled over the head of the right fielder to bring in
Joe Daneff and increase the Emporia State advantage to 8-1.
In the fifth,
Graham Brunner continued his strong outing as he worked around a one-out single as he struck out the side. Emporia State continued adding to their total with four more runs in the bottom half. Following a leadoff double by
Dom Oliverio,
TJ Racherbaumer switched places with a double of his own to make the score 9-1. An error by the Mules loaded the bases for
Andrew Rantz who singled up the middle to add another run. After a pitching change and the second out of the inning, an infield popup fell which pushed two more runs across as the Hornets built a 12-1 lead.
The Mules picked up two runs in the sixth and another run in the seventh to make the score 12-4. In the bottom of the seventh,
Joe Daneff homered to lead off the inning, and the Hornets nearly clinched the run-rule before left a runner on third base.
Central Missouri got a solo home run in the top of the eight, cutting the lead to eight runs for the second time in as many innings, but Emporia State capped off their win in the bottom half.
Dom Oliverio homered to lead off the inning and after the first out,
Jovanni Toledo lifted his first career home run to complete the 15-5 run-rule win for Emporia State against the second-ranked Mules on Saturday.
At the plate, every Hornet hitter that stepped to the plate recorded a hit with
Dom Oliverio,
Jovanni Toledo,
Konner Hatfield and
Andrew Rantz each recorded two hits of their own.
Kadyn Williams drove in four runs on his third inning grand slam, his seventh game with four or more RBI this season.
Konner Hatfield drove in three runs while six more Hornets each had one in the game.
On the mound,
Graham Brunner pitched 7.0 innings and limited the #2 Mules to four runs and three earned while recording nine strikeouts, matching his career high.
Matthew Postier pitched the eighth inning and picked up a strikeout of his own.
Emporia State will take on Central Missouri in the rubber match at Trusler Sports Complex on Sunday, April 14. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
