February 13, 2026 – Emporia State outlasted #23 MSU Denver on Friday afternoon, as a three-run home run by
Evan Abbott proved to be the difference as the Hornets picked up the 5-4 win over the Roadrunners to open the Steve Anson Classic.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams put a runner on base with two outs in the first but were kept off the board.
Dylan Brisbois played a part in that for Emporia State as he gunned down an attempted steal of second to end the frame.
In the second,
Nathon Cruz got things started with a double into the right center gap before coming around to score on a sacrifice bunt by
Brady Unrein that was followed by a throwing error by the Roadrunners. Brisbois then moved Unrein to third with a sac bunt of his own before
Cooper Schwindt doubled the advantage with an RBI single up the middle, making the score 2-0.
One runner reached against Stover in the bottom of the second, but was again turned back by Brisbois, as he threw out his second runner in as many innings to solidify the 2-0 lead heading to the third.
The score settled at 2-0 until the bottom of the fourth as the Roadrunners got on the board with a three-run homer to take a 3-2 lead over the Hornets.
Seth Stover worked around another base runner in the fifth in his final inning of work, but MSU Denver doubled their lead with a single run in the sixth, taking a 4-2 advantage over the Hornets into the late innings.
In the seventh,
Cooper Schwindt doubled into the gap with one out and later moved to third on a two-out single by
Logan Myers.
Evan Abbott followed Myers and delivered his first hit of the day, a line drive homerun down the right field line to put the Hornets ahead 5-4.
The Roadrunners immediately threatened in the bottom half of the inning as two walks and a hit batter with two outs loaded the bases.
Owen Ruge, who entered with two on and two outs, forced an infield popup to strand the trio of runners and maintain the 5-4 lead for Emporia State.
The Hornets did not add to their total in either of the final two innings, but five proved to be enough to hold on.
Grant Huffman came in to pitch the final two frames for Emporia State, and after retiring the Roadrunners in order in the eighth, worked around a pair of two-out hits in the ninth to seal and the 5-4 win and his second save of the season.
A LOOK AT THE STATS
The Hornets tallied just seven hits, with
Nathon Cruz and
Cooper Schwindt recording two each.
Evan Abbott drove in the runs with a seventh-inning home run, marking his fourth game with three or more RBI and pushing his season total to 20 through eight games.
Jake Khasaempanth picked up his second win in relief and
Grant Huffman picked up his second save, pitching the final 2.0 innings.
UP NEXT
The Steve Anson Classic continues for Emporia State on Saturday, February 14 as they take on Sioux Falls. First pitch between the Hornets and Cougars is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from Falley Field in Topeka.
