Baseball | 2/5/2025 3:38:00 PM
Games 4-7
Emporia State Hornets (3-0)
at Henderson State Reddies (2-2)
Thu., Feb. 6/Sun. Feb. 9 • 5:00 p.m./10:00 a.m. • Arkadelphia, Ark. • Clyde Berry Field
Series History: Series tied 1-1 •
Last Meeting: ESU 9, HSU 6 (2/2/20)
at Ouachita Baptist Tigers (1-2)
Friday, February 7 • 2:00 p.m. • Arkadelphia, Ark. • Rab Rogers Field
Series History: First Meeting
vs. Southern Arkansas Muleriders (3-1)
Saturday, February 8 • 10:00 a.m. • Arkadelphia, Ark. • Clyde Berry Field
Series History: Series tied 2-2 •
Last Meeting: ESU 8, SAU 3 (5/17/18 - NCAA Regional)
MIAA-GAC SHOWDOWNS
Emporia State travels to Arkadelphia for a four-game slate in the HSU Invitational for games against a trio of GAC opponents.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets traveled to Edmond the First Pitch Classic and ended the weekend with their first 3-0 start since 2020. Emporia State started the weekend with a 7-4 win over MSU Denver in which the Hornets took an early 3-0 lead on three solo home runs. After the Roadrunners retook the lead 4-3 in the fifth, Emporia State scored two in the seventh and two more in the ninth to seal the win. In game two, the Hornets mounted a comeback from 4-0 down in the fourth to beat the Savage Storm 8-5 as Ian Lanik picked up his second save in the first two games. In the final game of the weekend, the offense for both Emporia State and East Central was limited as the Hornets outlasted the Tigers 4-3. Tanner Dawe shined in the bullpen as picked up an eight-out save to seal the 3-0 weekend in Edmond.
A LOOK AT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 3-0 through the first weekend, marking their first 3-0 start to the season since 2020, and their second since 2015. The Hornets are hitting .300 as a team through the opening weekend and have posted an on-base percentage of .418. The first three games were highlighted by five players with multiple RBI on the weekend, including TJ Racherbaumer, Jovanni Toledo and Andy Pacheco who each had three RBI of their own. Racherbaumer has two home runs to lead the Hornets while Noah Steele and Dylan Brisbois, who are both hitting at least .500, have one of their own. On the hill, Emporia State used eleven pitchers on opening weekend and the bullpen proved crucial. Ian Lanik made two relief appearances in the first two games, and picked up two saves, including stranding the bases loaded in the ninth against Southeastern Oklahoma. Tanner Dawe had an eight-out save against East Central in the third game in Edmond to clinch the 4-3 win over the Tigers. The bullpen posted a 1.88 ERA through the first three games.
SCOUTING THE REDDIES
Henderson State is 2-2 through their first four games as they competed in Hot Springs, Ark. at the Mike Dugan Invitational. The Reddies went 2-2 against MIAA competition with losses to Washburn and Missouri Southern before defeating Arkansas-Fort Smith 8-3 and again 18-9 on Tuesday. As a team, the Reddies are hitting . 329 and are led by Austin Scritchfield and Cal Jones who are hitting .571 and .471 respectively through the first four games. The pitching staff has allowed a .333 opponent batting average with senior Jack Haley posting the best performance of the first weekend, as he pitched 3.1 scoreless innings in the first meeting against Arkansas-Fort Smith.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Ouachita Baptist is 1-2 on the season, as they also competed in the Mike Dugan Invitational against Washburn, Missouri Southern and Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Tigers defeated the Ichabods 13-4 but fell to both UAFS and MSSU on the weekend. The offense for the Tigers is hitting .218 and is led by Octavio Mendivil who is batting .500. On the mound, Ouachita is allowing a .265 opponent batting average and are led by Kyndall Cassidy, Chase Oberle and Tag Pacot. Cassidy threw three no-hit innings in the first meeting against UA-Fort Smith has pitched a team-high 5.0 innings in his one start. Pacot has nine strikeouts in two relief appearances across 4.2 innings pitched.
SCOUTING THE MULERIDERS
Southern Arkansas is 3-1 on the season after competing in the Mike Dugan Invitational where the Muleriders lost to Missouri Southern before defeating Arkansas-Fort Smith and then Washburn twice. The Muleriders were picked fourth in the GAC Preseason Poll and are currently hitting .268 as a team through the first four games. Lee Matsuzaki is batting .467 with a home run and three RBI while Josh Phillips has a team-high five RBI. On the mound, the pitching staff is allowing just a .227 opponent batting average and have 33 strikeouts in 35 innings.
TOP OF THE HILL
Brad Hill is in his second season at the helm of the Hornet Baseball program and has a 18-25 record. Hill has a career record of 910-511-3 in 26 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 910 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 439 wins across his years at Central Missouri and this season at Emporia state ranks eighth in MIAA history.
BEHIND THE PLATE
TJ Racherbaumer (Sr./Herrmann, Mo.) is in his fourth season with the Hornets and has played in 148 career games. Racherbaumer hit .300 through the first weekend with two home runs and three RBI. He has a team-high four walks in three games and has a .533 OBP.
Austin Lynn (R-Fr./North Las Vegas, Nev.) and Dylan Brisbois (R-So./Omaha, Neb.) have both played for the Hornets through the first weekend. Brisbois had a home run and reached in all five plate appearances in the win over MSU Denver in the first game in Edmond and is currently 4-8 at the plate. Lynn made his first career start against East Central and had an RBI single in the fourth inning.
AROUND THE HORN
First Basemen/Designated Hitter Jovanni Toledo (So./Tucson, Ariz.) has started all three games for the Hornets and is hitting .231 with three RBI through the first weekend. In 19 games as a freshman last season, Toledo hit .339 with two home runs, seven RBI, and 15 walks.
Second Basemen Logan Myers (So./Pittsburg, Kan.) is coming off a 2024 season where he was named MIAA Co-Freshman of the Year after hitting .301 with a .431 OBP last season. Myers has one RBI and one walk in two games played so far this season.
Infielder Peyton Lewis (Sr./Kansas City, Mo.) is in his first season with the Hornets after previously playing at Baker and Bluefield State. Lewis is 3-9 this season with a double and two runs scored.
Infielder Brady Unrein (Fr./Wichita, Kan.) has played in two games for the Hornets in his first season and has one hit, one walk, two stolen bases and a run scored.
Utility Andy Pacheco (R-Fr./Tucson, Ariz.) has four hits this season with two in both games he has played. Pacheco is 4-7 with a double and three RBI.
Outfielder/First Baseman Noah Steele (Jr./Prairie Village, Kan.) is 5-9 through the opening weekend with a double, home run and two RBI.
Outfielder Elijah Reeves (Jr./Casper, Wyo.) has played in all three games for the Hornets and has one hit, two runs scored and RBI and a stolen base.
Outfielder Cooper Schwindt (Jr./Shawnee, Kan.) is 4-7 in two games played with an RBI and two runs scored while reaching base in six of nine plate appearances.
ON THE MOUND
Cade Barton (Sr./Omaha, Neb.) is in year four with the Hornets and has 37 career appearances after making his first of the season in relief against East Central as he pitched the fifth inning to pick up the win while recording two strikeouts. In 2024, Barton earned Honorable Mention All-MIAA despite suffering a late season injury as he posted a 3.18 ERA in 62.1 innings pitched.
Ian Lanik (Sr./Eagle, Neb.) is in year three with the Hornets and has pitched in 31 career games. This season, both of Lanik's appearances have come out of the bullpen as he picked the save in each of Emporia State's first two wins. Lanik has five strikeouts and has not allowed a hit over his two outings.
Trent Warstler (Sr./Celina, Texas) has 16 appearances for the Hornets and two starts with his second coming last weekend in the season opener against MSU Denver. Warstler tallied four strikeouts in 4.2 innings against the Roadrunners.
Eli Hernandez (Sr./Ontario, Calif.) is in his second season with the Hornets and made 17 relief appearances in 2024. His first career start came in the second game against Southeastern Oklahoma as he recorded five strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched.
Seth Stover (So./Columbus, Kan.) is in his second season with the Hornets and has 13 career appearances with 12 starts and started game three in Edmond, allowing just one run in 4.0 innings with five strikeouts against East Central.
Tanner Dawe (Sr./London, Ontario) has 14 career appearances and made his first of 2025 with an eight-out save, which included four strikeouts, against East Central.
Coby Rogers (Sr./Fenton, Mo.) pitched 2.0 innings in his first appearance of the season against Southeastern Oklahoma, allowing no runners and striking out four.
HORNET HISTORY
Emporia State is playing their 74th season of baseball in 2025 and have won over 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.
