Hornets Rally To Take Sunday's Finale 6-4

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Emporia (Kan.) State Hornets had three key innings over the weekend that gave them the series sweep over the Truman Baseball team in Kirksville. The Hornets used a six-run fifth inning to come from behind to defeat the 'Dogs 6-4 in Sunday's finale. Truman will be at Lindenwood (Mo.) on Tuesday before returning home to face Maryville (Mo.) on Wednesday.

ESU took advantage of an error in the top of the ninth of game one to push across the winning run in a 1-0 victory, then scored seven runs with two outs in the top of the third in game two to win 11-0 and finally on Sunday scored four of their six runs in the top of the fifth to win 6-4. Of the 12 runs scored in those three innings, 11 came with two outs.

Jordan Howe led Truman with three of his four hits this weekend going for extra bases but the 'Dogs in general were held to just a .209 batting average in the series. Truman's pitching staff behind Tim Lee put up a respectable 3.60 ERA but seven of the eight pitchers used by Emporia over the series shutout the 'Dogs.

Game 1 Box Score (9 Innings)
Emporia State 1
Truman 0

Pitchers Tim Lee and Dakota McKaskie dominated the entire game as each starter went the distance in the 1-0 ESU victory. The Hornets got an unearned run in the top of the ninth inning while Hornet left fielder David Richards made a game saving catch in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the victory.

Lee allowed lead off singles in the first three innings but then shut down 14 straight Hornets until two outs in the seventh. Lee worked around a one-out single in the eighth but Blake Sturgeon reached in the ninth on a fielding error. Sturgeon advanced on a groundout and a wild pitch and came in to score on a single by Zack Carlson.

McKaskie allowed just five hits through the first eight innings. Blake Marino singled with one out in the ninth but pinch runner Will Nader was erased on a fielders' choice.

Joe Emery stole second to get into scoring position and Jarod Hahn lofted a shallow fly to left. With the wind playing havoc on the fielders all day, Richards dove in from left to make the catch and seal the extra inning win. The game was scheduled for seven innings.

Game 2 Box Score
Emporia State 11
Truman 0

The Hornets scored two runs in the first but did the bulk of their damage with two outs in the third in an 11-0 defeat of the Bulldogs.

Blake Sturgeon led off the third with a walk but had to retreat to first on a failed stolen base attempt when hitter Eric Dawson was called out on batters interference. Zack Carlson then sharply lined out to center and Sturgeon was sparred again as he was trying to steal on the play and got back to first just in time.

Aaron Rea then hit a high fly that dropped between a trio of Bulldogs that was wind aided while Sturgeon raced to third. David Richards followed with an RBI single to left to plate Sturgeon.

Todd Reller then reached on a throwing error and Luke Slagle belted a two-run homer to left. The Hornets would score four more times in the inning and led 10-0.

Brenton Higgins got the win while Truman's Jarrett Eiskina was tagged with the loss.

Game 3 Box Score
Emporia State 6
Truman 4

A six-run fifth inning highlighted by four doubles enabled the Hornets to come from behind to defeat the Bulldogs 6-4 in the series finale. ESU got stellar relief work from their bullpen as Matt Hinkley and Keith Picht shutdown the Bulldogs over seven and a third innings and fanned 11.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard early using a big defensive play by Blake Marino in the top of the first to grab the momentum. With runners in scoring position for the Hornets, Zack Carlson flared a foul pop down the left field line when Marino raced from his position at third and caught the ball over his shoulder and fired a strike home keeping the runs put. Logan Siegler then got David Richards to fly out to end the threat.

Zak Larkin led off for Truman with a triple down the right field line and scored as he slid under the tag on a play at the plate off the bat of Corbin Williams. The speedy Williams stole second, was sacrificed to third and added the second run of the inning on a ground out by Joe Emery.

The Bulldogs added two more in the second to chase starter Garrett Bane. T.J. Wood singled and was sacrificed over for Jordan Howe's first of two doubles on the day. Howe would get to third on a wild pitch and score on Larkin's ground out for a 4-0 lead.

It stayed that way until the fifth. A double by Jordan Slade opened the frame. Eric Dawson was hit by a pitch and Carlson singled in Slade for the first run. Aaron Rea doubled in one more but Marino made a nifty play in the next at bat as he snared David Richards' sharp grounder at third and tagged out Carlson scrambling back to the bag for the second out.

However consecutive doubles by Luke Slagle and Andrew Blackwell chased Siegler from the game and catcher Todd Schultz greeted Tyler Spencer with a two-strike single to drive in the sixth run of the inning.

Truman's five relievers did not allow a run the rest of the game but were one-upped by the Emporia staff. Hinkley was chased in the sixth after Jordan Hahn doubled with one out and Wood singled to make it first and third. However Picht got pinch hitter Andrew Range on the strike out, throw out double play to end the inning.

Picht worked around Howe's leadoff double in the seven with a pair of Ks and struck out three more in the final two innings as he retired the final nine hitters faced for the save.

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