With NAIA opponent Bethany in town on Wednesday, Emporia State coach Bob Fornelli gave several of his bench guys an opportunity to play. It was their chance to prove to the coach and team that they would be able to come through later in the season.
Anthony Markowitz capitalized on his first start of the season with one swing of the bat. Markowitz’s two-run homer in the fourth inning ended up being the difference in a 12-9 win.
“It was a lot of fun,” Markowitz said. “It’s a lot different just coming off the bench cold. You have to go out there and compete and take advantage of your chances.”
Markowitz’s homer came after Bethany pulled back into the game with a seven-run fourth inning. The Hornets had been coasting along to what seemed headed to a run-rule game. They led 8-0 going into the fourth and Austin Anderson had only given up one hit.
The Swedes started to figure out Anderson on their second time around in the order and batted around in the fourth. Anthony had the same problem in his last start on Feb. 24 against Newman. After three scoreless innings that day, Anthony gave up three runs in the fourth inning before getting pulled from the game.
“He worked behind in counts that inning,” Fornelli said. “The first three innings he worked ahead in counts and was able to get people out and the last inning he worked behind the whole time and they made him pay for it.”
Anthony gave up two three-run homers and Fornelli was forced to go to the bullpen before he could finish the inning, and the Swedes found themselves just one run down.
“I think we lost focus a little bit,” ESU center fielder Conner Crumbliss said. “That should never happen. The Yankees shouldn’t score seven runs against us in one inning.”
Anthony was replaced by freshman Justin Maxson, who came into the game with only 1 1/3 innings of collegiate experience. Markowitz helped relieve some of the pressure with his two-run homer and then the Hornets added one run apiece in the fifth and sixth to give Maxson a cushion.
Maxson (1-0) got the win, eating up 4 1/3 innings. He pitched effectively until the eighth inning when he gave up a two-run homer to Darrin Biegert. Dominic King made sure the Swedes didn’t get back in the game, coming on to end the inning with a strikeout.
Diego Soto struck out the side in the ninth for his seventh save of the season.
“We’re still pitching good,” Crumbliss said. “When we need to, we get outs. The pitchers do a great job. They always find a way to get outs in big situations.”
In midweek games against inferior opponents, Fornelli is looking for players who he can trust in big moments later in the season. Markowitz and Jacob White, who started his fifth game at shortstop, proved they could be guys Fornelli can count on. Both drove in two runs and scored twice.
“Some guys got an opportunity to play, and a guy like Anthony Markowitz took advantage of it,” Fornelli said. “He only got one hit but he scored two runs. That’s important for us to know down the line. Some other guys have got to continue to work, because when you get your opportunity, you’ve got to take advantage of it.”
Several of the Hornets’ usual producers also helped make sure ESU won its seventh straight. Crumbliss and Kenny Burkhead both finished with two hits. Crumbliss had a triple and scored two runs, and Burkhead drove in a game-high four runs.
Emporia State finished with 11 hits and eight different Hornets got a hit.
“I hope a lot of people get a lot of confidence from hitting today,” Markowitz said. “We still hit the ball pretty well, just not late in the game. Hopefully, that carries over to the weekend.”
Wednesday at Trusler
Emporia State 12, Bethany 9
Bethany 000 700 020 — 9 10 6
Emporia State 224 211 00X — 12 11 2
WP — Maxson. LP — Overstreet. Sv — Soto.
E — BC: Sullivan 2, Barnes, Craig 2, Biegert; ESU: Wempe, White. DP — ESU 1. LOB — BC 4, ESU 8. 2B — BC: Barnes, Vancil, Smith; ESU: Crumbliss. 3B — ESU: Crumbliss, Steinbach. HR — BC: Sullivan, Vancil, Biegert; ESU: Markowitz. HBP — BC: Craig. SH — ESU: Wempe. SB — ESU: Burkhead, Albers, White. CS — ESU: Dobler.