February 5, 2026 – Emporia State scored in each of the first seven innings, including seven in the seventh on their way to an 18-12 win over East Central.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Emporia State got the scoring started within two batters, as Logan Myers singled up the middle and then scored on an RBI double down the left field line by Evan Abbott. However, the Hornets were unable to expand on their lead and in the bottom of the first, East Central put together a three-run frame to take a 3-1 advantage.
 
A two-out double by Dominic Felix in the second cut the deficit in half, but the Tigers would add two more in their half of the frame on a two-run homer.
 
In the third, after two of the first three Hornets reached base, Nathon Cruz tied the game with a three-run homer, the first of his career. Seth Stover tossed his first scoreless frame, retiring the Tigers in order and then in the fourth, Emporia State regained the lead on a solo homer by Frankie Santiago.
 
Stover again kept East Central off the board and the lead grew to 8-5 in the top of the fifth. The Tigers responded in the bottom half, scoring five runs on six hits, retaking a 10-5 lead.
 
The scoring continued for the Hornets in the sixth, as a two RBI double from Sammy Padilla and a wild pitch put the Hornets back in front 11-10. Jake Khasaempanth, who stifled the Tigers after entering in the fifth, picked up two strikeouts and kept the lead intact for Emporia State heading to the late innings.
 
Emporia State's big inning came in the seventh and was jump started by a single and two walks to load the bases with no outs. Following the first out, the scoring started, as a walk by Dylan Brisbois and a steal of home by Gus Keller made the score 13-10. Two batters later, Sammy Padilla walked to make it 14-10. The exclamation point on the frame came with two outs, as Evan Abbott hit his second career homer, a grand slam to right field, capped the seven-run inning to build an 18-10 lead.
 
The Hornets wouldn't add to their total over the final two frames, but limited the Tigers to just two more runs on their way to the 18-12 win on day one of the Edmond First Pitch Classic.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Emporia State drew 15 walks and tallied 12 hits, with five different Hornets reaching base four times. Evan Abbott delivered his second five RBI game of the season, which included his first career grand slam in the seventh.
 
On the mound, six different Hornets pitched for Emporia State, with Jake Khasaempanth picking up his first win behind 1.1 scoreless innings.
 
UP NEXT
Day two in Edmond will feature Emporia State taking on Missouri-St. Louis. First pitch between the Hornets and Tritons is set for 4:00 p.m.
 
NOTES
The Hornets 73 runs through their first five games are the most in the 21st century, and just the second time with 70 or more (2017).
 
Evan Abbott has 16 RBI through the first five games, which is also the most in the 21^st century for Emporia State.