April 18, 2026 – Emporia State baseball managed to reached base twice in each of the first seven frames but were kept off the board as they fell in game two against #16 Central Missouri 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mules were the team to take an early lead in game two, as an infield single followed by a Cole Funkhouser home run to left put Central Missouri ahead 2-0. Emporia State tallied a trio of walks in the bottom half, but a trio of strikeouts kept the Hornets from answering with any offense of their own.
 
Both teams went scoreless over the next three, with Emporia State leaving two runners on base in each inning. Central Missouri would add to their lead in the fifth, thanks in large part due to a leadoff double by Brock Kobel who later scored on a sac fly to make the score 3-0.
 
The Hornets then threatened again the bottom half, picking up a double by Nathon Cruz and a walk by Dylan Brisbois with two outs before again stranding the runners to be held scoreless.
 
Emporia State then went to the bullpen in the sixth, and after Central Missouri grabbing one run in the sixth, the Hornets allowed just two hits over the final 3.2 innings to keep the Hornets within range of the Mules.
 
However, the Hornets left two more on base in the sixth and seventh innings, before and had one runner reach in each of the last two innings but were kept off the board as they fell 4-0 to force a rubber match on Sunday.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Logan Myers reached base in all five plate appearances, going 3-3 with two walks. Nathon Cruz picked up his seventh multi-hit game. The Hornets drew ten walks on the afternoon, marking their fifth game with double-digit walks this season.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State and #16 Central Missouri will meet on Sunday, April 19 for the rubber match of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Turnbull Field.