Throughout his team’s 19-game win streak, Emporia State coach Bob Fornelli has noticed one constant with his players.
They always have confidence, even maybe when they shouldn’t.
“We expect to win each and every day like it’s a given, which is a great thing,” Fornelli said, “but it’s also a scary thing.”
It was definitely a scary thing Saturday, when the Hornets looked for all the world like they might give away the final game in a doubleheader against Southwest Baptist.
Then — voila! — ESU’s bats came to life just when they needed to, scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth to rally for a 6-4 victory.
The Hornets also won Game One, 6-2.
“It wasn’t our best weekend offensively, but I guess in the end we came up and had some timely hits,” ESU third baseman Kevin Wempe said. “Our offense was timely, if nothing else.”
The victory put this Hornet team in elite company.
The 19-game winning streak is tied for the longest in school history, matching a streak set back in 1987.
“It’s like a blur. It really is,” Fornelli said. “We’ve played a lot, and we’ve competed, and the cool thing is, when we come to the field, we don’t expect to lose.”
The Hornets kept that mindset Saturday, even when they were trailing 4-2 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Once again, everything seemed to fall just right for ESU.
With a runner on second, the Hornets received a boost from the bottom of the order, as Kellen Lane delivered an infield single between the pitcher’s legs, and Keith Hernandez scored from second after a throwing error from the shortstop.
Wempe followed with a run-scoring single through the right side that tied the game at 4.
Andy Anderson provided what would turn out to be the game-winner, bouncing a grounder by third baseman Justin Barnhart to bring Wempe around from second.
“We have a lot of confidence coming down the stretch,” Anderson said. “We know that we can win a game if we have to come back and win it.”
Conner Crumbliss added an RBI double for good measure, and Daniel Waggoner pitched a perfect ninth to secure the victory.
“They always believe they can win,” Fornelli said, “and they found a way to do it.”
Crumbliss, Anderson and Hernandez had two hits apiece in the nightcap, while Brian Majors extended his hitting streak to 20 games.
ESU’s win came a little easier in Game One.
The Hornets scored two in the second and three in the third to grab an early 5-0 lead. The key hit came from Anthony Dreiling, who delivered a towering two-run home run to left in the third.
Richard Timbrook provided ESU with a quality start, allowing two runs in six innings while striking out 11.
Anderson led the Hornet offense, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
ESU (26-3, 12-0 MIAA) will play host to Pittsburg State on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Saturday at Trusler
Game One
Emporia State 6, SW Baptist 2
SW Baptist 000 002 0 — 2 9 1
No. 10 ESU 023 100 X — 6 6 2
W — Timbrook. L — Wallace.
E — SBU: Yates; ESU: Wempe, Timbrook. DP — ESU 1. LOB — SBU 10, ESU 6. 2B — SBU: Barnhart; ESU: Majors, Anderson. HR — ESU: Dreiling. HBP — ESU: Crumbliss, Hernandez. SF — ESU: Hernandez. SB — SBU: Barnhart; ESU: Wempe, Anderson.
Game Two
Emporia State 6, Southwest Baptist 4
SW Baptist 000 020 200 — 4 7 3
No. 10 ESU 000 101 04X — 6 10 2
W — Waggoner. L — McMillin.
E — SBU: Barnhart, Griffin 2; ESU: Marasco, Anderson. DP — SBU 1, ESU 3. LOB — SBU 6, ESU 8. 2B — SBU: Asher, Griffin; ESU: Crumbliss, Hernandez. 3B — SBU: Mountjoy. HBP — ESU: Shortell. SH — SBU: Tormanen, Griffin, Yates; ESU: Crumbliss. SB — ESU: Shortell, Hernandez, Anderson. CS — ESU: Dreiling.