February 1, 2026 – Emporia State baseball rallied back from an eight-run deficit to post a perfect 4-0 weekend in Tucson, defeating Minot State 13-12 on Sunday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite the eventual deficit, the Hornets were the first on the board on Sunday.
Logan Myers doubled to leadoff the game, and after moving to third, scored on a single by
Noah Steele.
Trouble appeared for the Hornets in the first frame for the second consecutive matchup with the Beavers, as Minot State used five hits and a pair of Emporia State errors to score seven in the first.
The score settled at 7-1 until the top of the fourth, when Emporia State would add another run after loading the bases with no outs. However, Minot State responded in the bottom half with two more, and after scoring again in the fifth, held a 10-2 lead over Emporia State.
The top of the sixth got started with a pivotal fielding error by the Beavers, and the Hornets seized the opportunity, as five straight reached base, including a two-run double by
Brady Unrein to trim the deficit to 10-7.
Dylan Brisbois plated another run with a groundout and after the second out of the inning,
Sammy Padilla knotted the score at 10-10 with a triple into the gap. Padilla would later come into score, capping a nine-run sixth.
Minot State tied the score again in the bottom half, as the Hornets and Beavers were deadlocked at 11-11 entering the final innings. However, the deadlocked wouldn't last long as the Hornets scored another two runs in the seventh, with RBI from
Dominic Felix and
Frankie Santiago.
In the seventh, Minot State scored again, this time to cut the lead to 13-12 as the Hornets brought in
Grant Huffman from the bullpen with one out and two runners on. Huffman forced a flyball and Emporia State caught off the runner at second with a relay to end the scoring chance and keep the lead intact.
The Hornets were unable to push across any insurance runs in their final two at-bats, but Huffman kept the door closed, as he retired the Beavers in order in both the eighth and the ninth to seal the eight-out save and the 13-12 win for Emporia State.
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Emporia State had nine different players drive in a run, with
Evan Abbott and
Noah Steele both tallying three hits.
Brady Unrein and Padilla both drove in three runs, while Unrein and
Logan Myers reached base five times.
Graeme Rios picked up the win behind 1.1 relief innings and
Grant Huffman recorded the save as he picked up the final eight outs.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will return to the heartland next week as they will play in the Edmond First Pitch Classic. Emporia State's first game of the weekend will be against East Central on Thursday, February 5 at 1:00 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.
