The Emporia State baseball team showed the short-term memory it needed to on Monday, taking a 6-2 victory over Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo.
The Hornets responded for the victory after being swept by Washburn on Sunday. In the second game that day, ESU surrendered a six run lead in a 9-8 loss.
Starter Mickey Lara was the hero Monday, pitching a complete game on just three days rest. He allowed two runs over that span, striking out a season-high seven while walking one and saving a worn-out bullpen.
It was the Hornets’ fifth game in three days.
“Mickey was awesome,” ESU coach Bob Fornelli said. “He picked us up today. I can’t say enough about him.”
Nick Wolfe gave ESU the early lead, hitting a two-run homer to center in the second to make it 2-0.
After Andy Anderson doubled in a run in the sixth, Tim Barger came through, knocking a two-run double to center to extend the advantage to 5-1.
“Tim had a big hit for us,” Fornelli said, “which gave us an opportunity to take a little bigger lead.”
With the win, ESU (30-21, 19-12 MIAA) pulled into a tie with Fort Hays State for fourth place in the conference. The top four teams make the MIAA Tournament next weekend, and ESU would hold the tiebreaker over the Tigers based on its 2-2 record against first-place Central Missouri.
The Hornets will play host to Pittsburg State for a single game Thursday before welcoming in Truman for a final four-game series this weekend.
Monday at Bolivar, Mo.
ESU 6, SBU 2
Emporia State 020 003 010 — 6 6 1
Southwest Baptist 010 000 010 — 2 6 2
W — Lara. L — Wallace.
E — ESU: Marasco; SBU: Capps; Wilkins. LOB — ESU 10; SBU 6. 2B — ESU: Anderson; Barger. HR — ESU: Wolfe; SBU: Mountjoy. HBP — ESU: Sharp; Barger. SB — ESU: Sharp. CS — ESU: Marasco.