March 18, 2025 – Emporia State got off to a strong start on Tuesday against Missouri Western and held off the Griffons for a 10-9 win in game of the midweek series.
Gerardo Grijalva made his second career start for the Hornets and retired the top three for Missouri Western in the top of the first. Emporia State quickly provided run support in the bottom half, scoring three runs.
Logan Myers drew a leadoff walk and then came around to score on triple from
Peyton Lewis to get the scoring started.
TJ Racherbaumer scored Lewis with a sac fly, but advanced to second on the dropped fly ball from the right fielder.
Cooper Schwindt capped off the inning with a sac fly to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead.
After another three up, three down inning by Grijalva, Emporia State added four more to their total in the bottom of the second.
Brady Unrein drew a one-out walk and after a single by
Logan Myers to advance Unrein to third,
Peyton Lewis picked up his second RBI with a single to left field. Following the second out of the inning,
Noah Steele lifted his third home run of the season to extend the Hornet lead to 7-0.
Missouri Western would score one run off Grijalva in both the fourth and fifth frames to cut the lead to 7-2 before Emporia State would answer with two more in the bottom of the sixth.
Brady Unrein and
Logan Myers got the inning started with a single and a ground-rule double before a single to right field by
Peyton Lewis scored both runners to make the score 9-2.
The Griffons scored fourth in the seventh and after a
Brady Unrein single in the bottom of the seventh, Missouri Western scored two more in the eighth and brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs.
Ryan Sauter took over on the mound for Emporia State and needed just one pitch to strand two runners and maintain the 10-8 lead for the Hornets.
In the ninth, Missouri Western grabbed a run off Hornet closer
Ian Lanik, and after drawing a two-walk, the inning ended on a batter's interference, sealing the 10-9 win for Emporia State.
Gerardo Grijalva picked up his first career win, going 5.0 innings, and allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out five.
Ian Lanik pitched the ninth and picked up his fifth save of the season, the first Hornet with five saves in a season since
Greg Ross in 2023.
At the plate, the Hornets had 12 hits and drew five walks, and got three hits from
Logan Myers and
Peyton Lewis and two hits each from
Noah Steele and
Brady Unrein. Lewis drove in four runs for the second consecutive game and tallied his fourth game in the last five with three or more RBI, totaling 14 RBI in the last five games.
Noah Steele drove in three runs with his second inning home run, his fifth game with multiple RBI this season.
Game two of the midweek series against Missouri Western is scheduled for Tuesday, April 1 in St. Joseph, Mo.
Emporia State is 11-10 and have won six of their last seven games. They will wrap up their home stand this weekend against Newman at the Trusler Sports Complex with game one between the Hornets and Jets scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 21.
