April 25, 2026 – Emporia State baseball flipped the score from game one against Washburn, rallying to even the series with a 5-4 win in Topeka on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hornets put two on base in the first, but a double play stifled their chance to open the scoring. Washburn then came through in their first time at the plate with a three-run bottom of the first to quickly take a 3-0 advantage.
Neither offense was able shift the score over the next three innings as both starting pitchers settled in.
Emporia State broke through in the fifth, as they used a pair of Ichabod errors to make the score 3-1.
Seth Stover, who started the afternoon, capped off his outing with a scoreless bottom of the fifth, which included stranding the bases loaded.
Following a scoreless sixth, the big inning finally came for Emporia State in the seventh. The Ichabods went to the bullpen and
Dylan Brisbois and
Brady Unrein needed just five pitches to tally back-to-back singles.
Gus Keller then entered as a pinch-hitter and laid down a bunt towards third that resulted in a hit to load the bases.
Tyler Coffin moved the runners and picked up an RBI with a groundout to the right side and after an intentional walk to
Logan Myers,
Evan Abbott knotted the score at 3-3 with an RBI fielder's choice. Washburn was forced to make another switch, and after Abbott stole second to put two in scoring position,
Noah Steele doubled on the following pitch to cap the four-run frame and give Emporia State a 5-3 lead.
Washburn attempted to respond in the bottom half, as three hits including a two-out RBI single pull the Ichabods within one. The Hornets then made the move to
Grant Huffman who needed just one pitch to end the threat and keep the lead intact.
Both teams picked up just one hit over the final two frames, but both went scoreless as Huffman picked up his eighth save as Emporia State sealed game two 5-4.
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Emporia State had eight hits, with
Nathon Cruz posting the lone multi-hit game going 2-5.
Noah Steele went 1-3 with two RBI and reached base three times.
Seth Stover allowed three over 5.0 innings and struck out a career-high eight batters.
Grant Huffman picked up his eighth save as he recorded the final seven outs and
Brandon Vassallo picked up his first win.
UP NEXT
The rubber match of the Turnpike Tussle is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 26.
