Hornets rally for 6-5 victory over Fort Hays
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Forget Killer Hornets. The Emporia State baseball team perhaps should more appropriately be called the Comeback Bees.
That trend continued Friday night, as ESU rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to take a 6-5 victory over Fort Hays State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.
“They find a way,” ESU coach Bob Fornelli said. “I don’t think we ever thought we were out of it, that’s for sure.”
Trailing 5-3 entering the final half-inning, Conner Crumbliss worked a walk before Brian Majors flipped a single into left for his fifth hit of the night.
Eric Shortell followed with a run-scoring single, and Keith Hernandez tied it at 5 with an RBI single of his own.
After an intentional walk to Anthony Dreiling to load the bases, Kevin Wempe came up with a game-winning hit up the middle to end it.
ESU did all its damage in the final inning with no outs.
“It worked out for us in the ninth,” Fornelli said, “but again, we need to start playing like it’s the ninth inning every inning.”
Brock Nehls picked up the win after pitching two innings of relief.
ESU starter Tyler Applehans allowed four runs and eight hits in his seven innings of work.
Majors led the offense, going 5-for-5 with two runs scored. His ninth-inning single tied the MIAA single-season record for hits with 104.
“He was amazing,” Fornelli said. “Every at-bat he had was a quality one.”
Dreiling, Hernandez and Wempe each added two hits and an RBI.
Crumbliss also contributed his 11th home run of the year, as ESU outhit FHSU, 14-10.
The win advances the Hornets in the winners bracket, where they will face Central Missouri at 3:30 this afternoon.
The Mules defeated Missouri Western, 6-4, in the first game of the MIAA Tournament.
“If you can’t get fired up to play (today), you probably shouldn’t be here,” Fornelli said. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem. I just hope we come out and relax and play hard and see what happens.”
UCM took three out of four games during its series with ESU in Warrensburg. Mo., last month. The Mules also halted the Hornets’ 35-game win streak with a 5-3 victory on April 25.
“From what I’ve heard, they played their best baseball against us,” Fornelli said. “We need to step up to the challenge and play great baseball against them and see where that takes us.”
MIAA Tournament
Friday at Kansas City, Kan.
Fort Hays State 000 102 110 — 5 10 1
Emporia State 000 110 103 — 6 14 0
Note: None out, 3 runners LOB when the game ended.
W — Nehls. L — Gilliland.
E — FHSU: Majercik. DP — FHSU 1. LOB — FHSU 9, Hornets 12. 2B — FHSU: Washburn, Majercik, Levanduski; ESU: Majors, Wempe. 3B — FHSU: Schippers. HR — FHSU: Becker, Bieker; ESU: Crumbliss. HBP — ESU: Crumbliss, Dreiling. SB — ESU: Majors, Williamson.
Records — Fort Hays State 27-29, Emporia State 47-7.
Comments
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)