The Emporia State baseball team is taking nothing for granted heading into the MIAA Tournament this weekend in Warrensburg, Mo.
The Hornets know there’s only one surefire way to advance to next week’s NCAA Regionals: Win the four-team MIAA tourney and gain the conference’s automatic berth.
“We’re not going to trust getting an at-large bid,” ESU senior Mark McBratney said. “The way we look at it, it’s life or death, win or done.”
ESU’s first matchup will come Friday, as the Hornets take on third-seeded Northwest Missouri State at 1 p.m. in Warrensburg, Mo.
There is a slight chance that ESU could still make next week’s Regionals even without winning the conference tournament. The Hornets were ranked No. 8 in the Regional poll last week — the top six teams advance — and could be bumped up a couple spots if they make it all the way to the MIAA championship game.
Either way, the Hornets need wins to keep their hopes of an NCAA Tournament berth alive.
“We hold our destiny in our own hands,” ESU pitcher Trent Lare said. “We need a really good showing.”
ESU didn’t have such strong outings against NWMSU the first time around, as the Hornets lost three of their four games against the Bearcats from April 13-16 in Maryville, Mo.
Lare, who will start Friday’s game for ESU, lost in his first matchup against Northwest, 3-1. He gave up all three runs in a four-hit second inning.
“One bad inning,” Lare said, “cost us the ballgame.”
The transfer from Oklahoma State still has turned himself into the Hornets’ ace with his performance as of late. He has a team-low 2.63 earned-run average, and ESU has a 9-2 record with him as the starter.
Lare has given up two runs or less in each of his last five starts.
“I feel like I’ve been pitching well lately,” Lare said. “Every time I go out, I feel like we have a good chance to win. I just need to continue to stay ahead.”
Meanwhile, most encouraging for ESU last weekend might have been the re-emergence of its offense in a four-game sweep against Truman.
The Hornets had 34 runs and 56 hits in the four-game set, showing signs of becoming the hitting team ESU coach Bob Fornelli believed he might have in the early stages of the season.
“Maybe that will give us the confidence we need,” McBratney said. “There aren’t many easy games left. We need to get on a roll at the right time.”
Central Missouri and Fort Hays State play in the other opening-round tournament game at 7 p.m.
Davison, Reed take Regional softball honors
The Emporia State softball team swept the North Central Region’s top honors on Wednesday, as Megan Davison was named the Daktronics Player of the Year and Courtney Reed was named Pitcher of the Year.
Davison, a senior from Derby, was an All-MIAA selection at third base for the third consecutive season. She holds the MIAA record for career RBI (213), which ranks her eighth in NCAA history. She also has tied the MIAA record for career home runs (51), which ties her for seventh in NCAA history.
Reed, a senior from Bonner Springs, was a unanimous first-team All-MIAA selection and also the conference’s pitcher of the year. She is 22-1 in her last 23 decisions and has thrown a league-high 10 shutouts. She led the MIAA in strikeouts, wins, shutouts, earned-run average and opponent batting average this season.
ESU second baseman Chelsea McClernon and outfielder Morgan Viola took second-team All-Region honors.
The nominations and voting for the teams were compiled and completed by the North Central Region sports information directors.