Eric Shortell might have taken away Keith Hernandez’s RBI, but he still couldn’t steal his thunder.
Just seconds after Shortell’s three-run home run in the sixth inning, Hernandez followed with a blast of his own, driving the ball over the wall in right-center.
The teammates’ back-to-back homers helped Emporia State overpower Fort Hays State in a 14-8 victory on Friday at Trusler.
With the win, the Hornets extended their team-record winning streak to 22 games.
“We came out and swung the bat a lot better today,” Hernandez said. “We just jumped on some mistake pitches, and we capitalized.”
That was most evident in the sixth when Hernandez came through on a guarantee to Shortell.
After Shortell’s home run cleared the bases, Hernandez smiled and asked his teammate a question when he reached home plate.
“You want me to back you up with that?”
Shortell just laughed.
“I’m serious,” Hernandez said.
Turned out he wasn’t joking.
The catcher replicated Shortell’s feat, driving the ball to the opposite field for his sixth home run of the season.
“I’d made a promise to him,” Hernandez said with a smile.
Shortell was able to break out of a 1-for-17 slump with his outing on Friday.
The senior went 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI.
“It’s a huge relief,” Shortell said. “ ... I just relaxed the second and third at-bat and got the pitches I want.
“They gave me the two fastballs I’d been looking for all game, and that was good.”
The Hornets had 15 hits in all and scored multiple runs in five of eight innings.
“If they walked us, we made it hurt. If they made an error, we made it hurt,” ESU coach Bob Fornelli said. “One through nine in our lineup is a threat. It makes it hard for those pitchers to throw.”
It wasn’t like ESU was taking on a struggling pitcher, either.
FHSU’s Matt Augustine came in after allowing just one run in a complete-game performance against Northwest Missouri State on Saturday.
The Hornets knocked Augustine out early, scoring eight runs in the sophomore’s 3 1/3 innings.
ESU (28-3, 15-0 MIAA) won despite not getting its best efforts from pitchers Tyler Appelhans and Aaron Burris.
Appelhans, who’d thrown shutouts in three of his last four outings, allowed five runs in six innings.
Meanwhile Burris, who hadn’t allowed an earned run in his 15 innings pitched at home, gave up two earned in three innings.
Still, with the Hornets’ offense, it turned out to be enough.
“They just went out there and competed,” Hernandez said, “and that’s what we need them to do.”
Brian Majors added a 3-for-3 performance with three RBI and four runs scored. He also extended his hitting streak to 23 games.
Conner Crumbliss, Caleb Williamson and Hernandez added two hits each.
ESU will continue its series against FHSU with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. today.
Friday at Trusler
Emporia State 14, Fort Hays State 8
Fort Hays State 020 100 230 — 8 12 2
No. 6 ESU 302 304 20X — 14 15 1
W — Appelhans. L — Augustine. Sv — Burris.
E — FHSU: Robbins, Fortman; ESU: Anderson. DP — FHSU 1, ESU 3. LOB — FHSU 4, ESU 7. 2B — FHSU: Bieker 2; ESU: Majors, Anderson. HR — FHSU: Bieker, Fortman; ESU: Shortell 2, Hernandez. HBP — ESU: Majors, Shortell. SF — ESU: Marasco. CS — FHSU: Biggs; ESU: Anderson.
proudpapa (anonymous) says...
I wish the community would support ESU baseball like they do Hornet basketball. Coach Fornelli is putting a great product on the field, and they are a lot of fun to watch. I know a few more fans in the seats would be greatly appreciated.
April 6, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Community does support Hornet Baseball and other Hornet sports as well. That support is just not visable with bodies at the games. This IS a special year for the diamond dwellers!
April 6, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )