Baseball | 4/25/2024 4:44:00 PM
Emporia State Hornets (19-28, 9-21 MIAA)
vs. Newman Jets (13-33, 9-21 MIAA)
Friday, April 26 • 6:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Glennen Field
Saturday, April 27 • 11:00 a.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Glennen Field
Sunday, April 28 • 1:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • Glennen Field
Series Record: ESU leads 59-23 •
Last Meeting: NU 2, ESU 1 (4/8/23)
Video: The MIAA Network •
Live Stats: esuhornets.com
Listen: kvoe.com/listen (Fri. and Sun. only)
Up Next: MIAA Opening Series (if qualified)
REGULAR SEASON WRAP UP
Emporia State plays host to the visiting Newman Jets at Trusler Sports Complex over the weekend in the final MIAA series of the regular season.
THE COACHES
Brad Hill is 19-28 in his first season at Emporia State. Hill has a career record of 905-510-3 across 25 seasons as a head coach.
Drew Maus is 76-124 in his fifth season as the coach at Newman.
A LOOK AT THE HORNETS
Emporia State (19-28, 9-21 MIAA) travels up the turnpike for a midweek tune-up against the Ichabods before the final weekend of the regular season. The Hornets rank fifth in the MIAA in home runs, second in walks, ninth in OBP, seventh in ERA and first in strikeout-to-walk ratio. Kadyn Williams is posting a team-high .337 batting average and .465 OBP while starting all 47 games. Williams has 11 home runs, 24 extra-base hits and 52 RBI. His RBI total is tied for fifth in the MIAA this season. Logan Myers is batting .296 this season with a .431 OBP of his own in his first season. TJ Racherbaumer is batting .301 and has a hit in 11 of the last 12 games, which includes six multi-hit games. Jovanni Toledo has played in 17 games in the back half of the season and has a .389 batting average with a .534 OBP. On the mound, nine Hornet pitchers have made double-digit appearances on the season. Graham Brunner is 3-1 on the season and is coming off back-to-back quality starts, including a nine-strikeouts performance in the Hornets' 15-5 win against #2 Central Missouri. Ian Lanik has 11 starts this season, the most on the team, and has pitched 53.1 innings with 44 strikeouts. In the bullpen, Eli Hernandez and Trent Warstler are tied for the team-high with 13 appearances. Hernandez has 27.1 relief innings and 28 strikeouts with just seven walks allowed.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State traveled north on the Turnpike for a nonconference midweek matchup against Washburn. Kadyn Williams' 11th home run of the season opened the scoring in the fourth inning, but the Ichabods were able to build a 9-2 lead going into the final two frames. A grand slam by Patryk Hernandez in the eighth sparked a potential comeback and the Hornets were able to get another run in the ninth before ultimately falling 9-7 against Washburn.
SCOUTING THE JETS
Newman (13-33, 9-21 MIAA) is entering the final weekend of the regular season with MIAA series wins over Missouri Western, Washburn and Northwest Missouri. In the MIAA, Newman ranks eighth in runs scored, fifth in doubles, seventh in OBP and eighth in slugging percentage. The Jets offense is led by Joe Kinneberg who is batting .343 and has 16 extra-base hits and a .444 OBP. Garrett Arnold is batting .322 this season with 24 extra-base hits, including 17 doubles which ranks third in the MIAA. Trent Trammell and Eli Wohl are also batting above .300 with .320 and .301 averages of their own. On the mound, Colby Wilson and Connor Rowe have pitched 63.0 and 53.2 innings, the first and second most on the Jets. Wilson also has a team-high 48 strikeouts.
TOP OF THE HILL
Brad Hill is in his first season at the helm of the Hornet Baseball program and has a 19-28 record. Hill has a career record of 905-509-3 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 905 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 437 wins across his years at Central Missouri and this season at Emporia state ranks eighth in MIAA history.
AROUND THE HORN
Kadyn Williams (Jr./Emporia, Kan.) is in his third season with the Hornets and has started all 47 games. Williams is batting .335 with a OBP of.462. Williams has a team-high 51 RBI, which is also the eighth-highest total in the MIAA. On the season, Williams has seven 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 45 of 47 games this season and has reached bases in 26 straight games.
Logan Myers (Fr./Pittsburg, Kan.) has played in 43 games for the Hornets in his first season with the program. Myers has also excelled at reaching base, holding an OBP of .431. He also has 11 multi-hit games and seven games with multiple RBI, including a 4-5, two home run and five RBI game against CSU-Pueblo (2/17).
Patryk Hernandez (Sr./Leawood, Kan.) has started 43 games at first base and designated hitter for the Hornets this season and is batting .280. Hernandez has seven doubles, eight home runs and 38 RBI with a .388 OBP. Through his 44 games played, Hernandez has set new career-highs in most offensive categories, including doubles, RBI, walks and runs scored.
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 34 this season. Sturdy has a .415 OBP with nine doubles, one home run, 20 RBI and 27 runs scored. Sturdy also has four games with multiple RBI, including two games with two RBI in the series against Rogers State.
Andrew Rantz (So./Topeka, Kan.) has played in 41 games this season after playing in 47 during his freshman season in 2023. This season, Rantz has a .353 OBP with nine doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI, and four stolen bases.
Konner Hatfield (Jr./Hollister, Mo.) is in his first season at Emporia State and has 29 starts and 40 games played for the Hornets. Hatfield has a .362 OBP with five doubles, five home runs, 19 RBI, and 23 walks. Hatfield homered three times last weekend against #2 Central Missouri, including twice in the Hornets' 15-5 win in game two against the Mules.
Dom Oliverio (Fr./Noblesville, In.) is in his first season at Emporia State and has played in 38 games for the Hornets. Oliverio is batting .275 with a .365 OBP, six home runs, six doubles, three triples, 22 RBI, and 29 runs scored. He has nine multi-hit games, including a 5-5 game in the series finale against #10 Missouri Southern.
Joe Daneff (Sr./Kansas City, Mo.) is batting .229 with a .352 OBP and has seven home runs, 13 extra-base hits, 30 RBI, and 22 runs scored. Against Upper Iowa (3/5), Daneff went 2-2 and recorded a career-high five RBI in the Hornets 12-0 win.
Jovanni Toledo (Fr./Tucson, Ariz.) has appeared in 17 games and made 16 starts at DH and first base for the Hornets in his first season. Toledo is batting .389 with an OBP of .534 with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, 15 runs scored and 15 walks. Toledo has five multi-hit games across the last 11 games for the Hornets.
Austin Hamm (Sr./Olathe, Kan.) has been with the Hornets since 2020 and has played in a career-high 25 games this season while setting career marks in several offensive categories. Hamm has a .247 average and .330 OBP this season with five home runs, five doubles, 15 RBI, 21 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.
Drew Jennings (Jr./Overland Park, Kan.) has played in 30 games this season and has a .358 OBP with 18 hits, 11 RBI and 16 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.
BEHIND THE PLATE
TJ Racherbaumer (Jr./Hermann, Mo.) has played in 144 career games for the Hornets in his three seasons at Emporia State. This season, Racherbaumer is batting .301 with a .426 OBP and has four home runs, 28 RBI, 28 walks and 34 runs scored. Racherbaumer has 12 multi-hit games this season, with six in the last 12 games for the Hornets. In 2022, he was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year, hitting .362 with 41 RBI, ten home runs, 17 doubles and a .675 slugging percentage.
Dylan Brisbois (So./Omaha, Neb.) is in his second season with the Hornets and has made 13 appearances. He has reached base 12 times this season and has seven hits, including a 2-4 game against Upper Iowa (3/4) which included three runs scored, two RBI and his first career home run.
ON THE MOUND
Graham Brunner (Sr./Sherwood Park, Alberta) is 3-1 this season with 51 strikeouts and 15 walks allowed in 49.2 innings pitched. Brunner has four games with seven or more strikeouts, including a nine-strikeout performance in the 15-5 win against #2 Central Missouri.
Ian Lanik (Jr../Eagle, Neb.) has made 11 starts and has a 7.51 ERA across 56.1 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.
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 is sidelined with an injury but after his last appearance at Missouri Western, he ranked fourth in the MIAA in ERA, ninth in opponent BA, first in innings pitched and fifth in strikeouts.
Tanner Dawe (Jr./London, Ontario) has 12 relief appearances in his first season with the Hornets and has a 6.06 ERA across 16.1 innings pitched with a 3-1 record. Against CSU-Pueblo (2/18), Dawe pitched four innings in relief with a career-high five strikeouts.
Hayden Baumwart (Sr./Emporia, Kan.) has made a team-high 15 appearances this season and has 34 appearances in his Hornet career. This season, Baumwart has pitched a career-high 23.1 innings and has nine strikeouts while allowing a .297 opponent batting average and has a 2-2 record out of the bullpen.
Trent Warstler (Jr./Celina, Texas) is in his first season with the Hornets and has 14 relief appearances with one start. Warstler has a 2-2 record and a 6.75 ERA across 34.2 innings pitched while striking out 36. In his first career appearance, Warstler went 4.1 innings and struck out a career-high seven against Oklahoma Baptist.
Eli Hernandez (Jr./Ontario, Calif.) is in his first season with the Hornets and has 15 relief appearances while totaling 30.1 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts and just eight walks allowed. In a four-inning outing in the series finale against Washburn (3/3), Hernandez recorded a career-high seven strikeouts.
Greg Ross (Jr./Sarnia, Ontario) is in his second season at Emporia State and has made 28 career appearances with five starts. This season, Ross three starts and 13 appearances and has 23 strikeouts in 26.0 innings pitched. In 2023, Ross made 15 appearances and led Emporia State with five saves.
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.
Seth Stover (Fr./Columbus, Kan.) is in his freshman season with the Hornets and has pitched 27.2 innings through his first 12 career appearances and has 18 strikeouts and just seven walks allowed with a 2-4 record. Against Upper Iowa (3/4), Stover pitched a career-high 6.0 scoreless innings and matched his career-high with four strikeouts.
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.
Jake Shaults (Jr./Towanda, Kan.) has made ten relief appearances in his first season with the Hornets. Shaults has tallied 11.1 innings ptiched with 14 strikeouts. Against Northwest Missouri (2/23), Shaults recorded a career-high four strikeouts in two scoreless innings of relief.
Matthew Postier (Jr./Wichita, Kan.) has made six appearances for the Hornets, his first six at Emporia State. He has tallied 10.0 innings pitched and has allowed ten hits while striking out ten and has an ERA of 4.50.
Coby Rogers (Jr./Fenton, Mo.) has made seven relief appearances this season in his first year at Emporia State. Rogers has tallied 11.0 innings pitched and has eight strikeouts. Against Pittsburg State (4/16), Rogers picked up his first career win.
Grant Huffman (So./Lee's Summit, Mo.) has made five appearances this season and has pitched 7.0 innings with five strikeouts. Against Pittsburg State (4/16), Huffman recorded his first career save.
HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State is playing their 73rd season of baseball in 2024 and have 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 15 of 16 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.
