January 31, 2025 – Emporia State Baseball got the season started with a 7-4 win over MSU Denver in the first game of the Edmond First Pitch Classic on Friday.
The Hornets got the scoring right away, starting the game with two runs in the top of the first on a pair of solo home runs. With two outs in the inning,
TJ Racherbaumer and
Noah Steele went back-to-back to put Emporia State ahead 2-0.
Trent Warstler got the start on the mound for the Hornets and quickly retired the Roadrunners in order.
Dylan Brisbois added to the Emporia State total with a solo home run to start the second.
Emporia State held their 3-0 lead until the bottom of the third when Cam Yuran hit a solo home run for MSU Denver to make the score 3-1. The Roadrunners broke through against Warstler in the fifth, as a two-run home run from Yuran and a solo homer from Easton Amund gave MSU Denver a 4-3 lead, their first of the game.
After a scoreless sixth, the Hornets jumped back in front once the late innings got underway. A pair of hit batters and a bunt single brought
Logan Myers to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. Myers hit a sac fly to center field, bring
Gus Keller in to score, tying the game 4-4. After the second out of the inning,
Noah Steele singled to centerfield, scoring
Elijah Reeves and putting the Hornets back ahead 5-4.
Graeme Rios, who entered in relief in the sixth inning, stayed in the for the seventh and retired the Roadrunners to preserve the lead heading to the eighth. Brisbois singled to lead off the inning and eventually made his way to third base but was left stranded as the Hornets remained in front by one. Rios would strand a two-out single by MSU Denver in the eighth to again maintain the one-run advantage for Emporia State.
In their final turn at the plate, the Hornets added a pair of insurance runs, again delivering key hits with two outs.
Peyton Lewis started the inning with a leadoff double, and after a one-out intentional walk to
TJ Racherbaumer and a steal from the senior catcher, the Hornets had two in scoring position. With two outs,
Jovanni Toledo and
Dylan Brisbois recorded RBI singles to push the advantage to 7-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Ian Lanik entered the game, replacing Rios, and despite a two-out walk, struck out two MSU Denver batters to clinch the save and the season-opening 7-4 win for the Hornets.
Dylan Brisbois went 4-4 with a home run, two RBI and a walk.
Noah Steele went 3-5 in his Hornet debut with a home run and two RBI.
Peyton Lewis,
TJ Racherbaumer,
Jovanni Toledo and
Elijah Reeves all reached base twice in the game.
On the mound,
Trent Warstler had four strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched and allowed just one walk, earning a no-decision.
Graeme Rios picked up the win behind 3.0 scoreless innings and two strikeouts.
Ian Lanik picked up the second save of his career with two strikeouts in a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
Emporia State will be back in action on Saturday, February 1 as they Southeastern Oklahoma State in day two of the Edmond First Pitch Classic. First pitch between the Hornets and Savage Storm is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
