Trip to St. Louis On Deck for Emporia State Baseball

Baseball | 3/6/2025 1:43:00 PM

Games 14-17
Emporia State Hornets (5-8)
vs. Hillsdale Chargers (5-5)
Friday, Mar. 7/Saturday, Mar. 8 • 11:00 a.m./2:00 p.m. • St. Louis, Mo. • Weber Field
Series History: First Meeting • Last Meeting: First Meeting

at Maryville Saints (4-5)
Friday, March 7/Sunday, March 9 • 2:00 p.m./2:00 p.m. • St. Louis, Mo. • Weber Field
Series History: First Meeting • Last Meeting: First Meeting

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Emporia State travels to St. Louis for a four-game slate of non-conference games with two against both Hillsdale and Maryville. The Hornets will meet the Chargers and Saints for the first time in program history.

LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets hosted Central Oklahoma in the second MIAA series of the season and the first home weekend for Emporia State in 2025. Emporia State struggled offensively in their three games against the Bronchos, pushing across just five runs in three games. Seth Stover and Cade Barton both put together strong starts in games two and three, as Stover pitched six scoreless in game two and Barton allowed just two runs in five innings with five strikeouts in game three.

ABOUT THE COACHES
Brad Hill is in year two at Emporia State and has a 27-36 record with the Hornets. Hill also a 913-518-3 career record across 28 seasons, reaching his 900th career win in his first year at Emporia State.
Tom Vessella is in his fourth year at Hillsdale and has a 74-85 record with the Chargers.
Pat Evers is in his seventh season at Maryville and has a 166-120 record with the Saints. 

A LOOK AT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 5-8 on the season and 1-5 in the MIAA after beginning conference play against Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma who are both receiving votes in one or both week four national polls. The Hornets are hitting .237 as a team through the first 13 games, as they struggled in the latest series against the Bronchos. Dominic Felix and Noah Steele are hitting .375 and .359 respectively this season. Steele has a team-high .432 OBP and has driven in six runs and scored nine of his own. TJ Racherbaumer is hitting .275, but leads the Hornets with eight walks and three home runs, while posting a .431 OBP. In the last series against Central Oklahoma, Racherbaumer recorded his 98th career walk, passing Steve Bartow for third-most career walks in Emporia State history. On the mound, the Hornets have a 7.10 ERA, but got strong starts against the Bronchos from both Seth Stover and Cade Barton in games two and three. Stover tossed six shutout innings while allowing just two hits and Barton allowed just two runs in five frames with five strikeouts in the series finale.

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
Hillsdale is 5-5 to begin the season and have won their last five games after a slow start to 2025. The Chargers are in year four under head coach Tom Vessella, a former 11th round MLB Draft pick back in 2006, and have won at least 21 games each of his first three seasons, including a 20-12 GMAC record in 2023, the first time in program history with 20 conference wins. The Hillsdale offense is hitting .296 this season, and is led by Will Lehman and Zak Kent who are batting .381 and .349 respectively. Lehman has driven in a team-high 15 runs through the first 10 games. On the mound, the Chargers have tallied 87 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched, including 29 from Daniel Higdon and Brandon Scott who both have three starts on the season.

SCOUTING THE SAINTS
Maryville is 4-5 on the season, including a narrow 7-6 loss on the road against MIAA foe #3 Central Missouri. The Saints are hitting just .229 as a team, but have seven home runs and 30 walks drawn in nine games, as their team OBP is .340. The offense is led by Ambrose Russo who is batting .367 in 30 at-bats, with two home runs, three doubles, a triple, five RBI and 22 total bases on the season. On the mound, the Saints have a team ERA of 4.24 and junior Ben Gregory has a 1.50 ERA in a team-high 12.0 innings pitched. Gregory has struck out ten batters and allowed just one walk and a .205 opponent batting average in two starts. Braden Smith and Ty Rauser also have 18 and 16 strikeouts of their own and both hold ERA's below 3.00.

UP NEXT
Emporia State returns home for a seven-game homestand that begins with a three-game series against Rogers State at the Trusler Sports Complex. Game one between the Hornets and Hillcats is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 14.

TOP OF THE HILL
Brad Hill is in his second season at the helm of the Hornet Baseball program and has a 27-36 record. Hill has a career record of 913-518-3 in 28 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 913 wins in his 28th 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 445 wins across his years at Central Missouri and in two years 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 158 career games. Racherbaumer has played in all 13 games this season, making 12 starts and 11 behind the plate. He is batting .275 on the season, with three home runs, three doubles and a team-high eight walks and 11 runs scored. Racherbaumer has drawn 98 career walks, passing Steve Bartow for third-most career walks in Emporia State history. He also ranks eighth in career at-bats and is nearing the top ten in career hits and games played as a Hornet.
Dylan Brisbois (R-So./Omaha, Neb.) has started four games, with one behind the plate three in the DH spot this season. Brisbois is batting .286 and has reached base in six of 16 plate appearances.
Austin Lynn (R-Fr./North Las Vegas, NV) has made three starts this season after redshirting in 2024. Lynn is 3-13 with two RBI, a walk and a run scored.

AROUND THE HORN
First Basemen/Designated Hitter Jovanni Toledo (So./Tucson, Ariz.) has started 11 games for the Hornets, with ten at first base and one at designated hitter. Toledo has driven in a team-high nine runs and has two doubles, one home run and two runs scored.
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 started ten games this season, with nine at second base and one at shortstop. He is batting .220 on the season, and 6-18 since game two of the Pittsburg State series. Myers has two home runs, eight RBI and three runs scored.
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 batting .270 with an OBP of .341 through nine starts. Lewis has two home runs, four doubles, and seven runs scored on the season.
Infielder Brady Unrein (Fr./Wichita, Kan.) is in his first season with Emporia State and has made nine starts at shortstop. Unrein has three hits, one home run, four walks and four runs scored, while posting a 1.000 fielding percentage in the early stages of the season.
Utility Andy Pacheco (R-Fr./Tucson, Ariz.) has made eight starts across three positions to start the season, and is batting .185 with a .267 OBP and four RBI through his eight nine games played. 
Utility Dominic Felix (Jr./Tucson, Ariz.) is in his first season with the Hornets and has started six games across three positions, with four starts at third base. Felix is off to a strong start at the plate, hitting .478 with three doubles, one home run, four RBI, and three runs scored.
Utility Sammy Padilla (RS-Fr./Tucson, Ariz.) has played in five games and made three starts, including the final two games against Central Oklahoma. Padillas has started and second base, left field and center field in his three starts.
Outfielder Noah Steele (Jr./Prairie Village, Kan.) has 11 eight starts in right field and is batting .359 to begin his first season with the Hornets. Steele has a team-high 14 hits with four doubles, a home run, six RBI and nine runs scored. He is slugging .538 with an OPS of .970, which is third for the Hornets.
Outfielder Elijah Reeves (Jr./Casper, Wyo.) has started nine games in centerfield in his first season at Emporia State, Reeves is batting .217, but has drawn five walks, as he has posted a .455 OBP across 33 plate appearances. 
Outfielder Cooper Schwindt (Jr./Shawnee, Kan.) has started nine games in the corner outfield positions in his first season with the Hornets and is batting .268 with a double, two home run, six RBI and a .354 OBP in 47 plate appearances. 
Outfielder Gus Keller (Fr./Pittsburg, Kan.) has made four starts and has played in eight games to begin his freshman season with the Hornets. Keller has drawn four walks, scored three runs and reached base in six of 19 plate appearances.

ON THE MOUND
Cade Barton (Sr./Omaha, Neb.) is in year four with the Hornets and has 40 career appearances with four this season. 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. Barton has pitched 11.0 innings and is coming off his strongest start in his last outing against Central Oklahoma, as he pitched 5.0 innings, allowing just two runs and striking out five batters.
Ian Lanik (Sr./Eagle, Neb.) is in year three with the Hornets and has pitched in 35 career games. This season, all six of Lanik's appearances have come out of the bullpen as he has picked up three saves on the season. Lanik has pitched 8.0 innings and has recorded 12 strikeouts.
Trent Warstler (Sr./Celina, Texas) has made four starts this season and has pitched 15.2 innings in his four outings. Warstler has struck out 11 batters this season and has 53 strikeouts across 20 appearances the last two seasons for the Hornets.
Eli Hernandez (Sr./Ontario, Calif.) is in his second season with the Hornets and made 17 relief appearances in 2024. In his four appearances this season, Hernandez has pitched 14.0 innings and has 17 strikeouts.
Seth Stover (So./Columbus, Kan.) is in his second season with the Hornets and has 17 career appearances and 15 starts. Stover has made four starts this season and has pitched a team-high 19.0 innings in his four outings, including 6.0 in his latest start against the Bronchos where he held Central Oklahoma scoreless through six frames.
Tanner Dawe (Sr./London, Ontario) has 16 career appearances and has made three this season. Dawe has totaled 5.1 innings with six strikeouts and a .238 opponent batting average. His first appearance was an eight-out save against East Central on opening weekend.
Graeme Rios (Jr./Houston, Texas) has made four appearances in his first season with the Hornets, including one start. Rios' first outing came in the season opener against MSU Denver as he pitched 3.0 scoreless relief innings and he has pitched 12.1 innings this season while picking up two wins.
Grant Huffman (Sr./Lee's Summit, Mo.) is in his third season at Emporia State and has 17 career appearances with four this season. Huffman has pitched 7.2 innings in relief, and allowed a .250 batting average with ten strikeouts and has a 1-0 record.
Brandon Vassalo (Jr./Santa Fe, Texas) has made four relief appearances for Emporia State in his first season with the program. Vassalo has pitched 4.2 innings and has three strikeouts while allowing a .263 batting average.

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.