TOPEKA — If there’s any wonder to how Emporia State has won 12 of 13, Wednesday’s 7-1 win over Wayne State would be the perfect example to how the Hornets win so consistently.
After watching Wayne State’s offense score 10 runs, hit two long home runs and rack up 10 hits in a win against Washburn Wednesday afternoon, the Emporia State pitchers looked as if they were pitching against a different lineup. Cole Moore, Brett McBride and Austin Anderson combined for eight innings of shutout ball and the Wildcat’s only run came on a Seth Chadwick leadoff homer in the ninth.
Moore (3-0) scattered five hits — never allowing more than one hit per inning — over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. It was the third straight midweek game Moore started after coming out of the bullpen earlier this season.
“I think it’s better for him than out of the pen,” ESU coach Bob Fornelli said. “He’s really adapted to it well and that’s what he did at Neosho (County Community College).”
In his three starts, Moore’s allowed just two earned runs in 18 2/3 innings. With ESU ace Ben Graham out with a muscle strain in the back of his right throwing shoulder for the upcoming series against Washburn, Fornelli plans to start Moore in the series finale on Monday.
“I wanted to come out and have a good outing today, put that in his mind that I’m there if anybody goes down and they need me,” Moore said.
The ESU bullpen has also improved during the Hornets’ current hot streak. McBride relieved Moore in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate.
McBride struggled early in the season and came into the game with an 8.22 ERA. Wayne State had its best hitter at the plate, Justin Hemauer, who hit a deep 3-run homer against Washburn earlier in the day. McBride forced Hemauer to ground out to end Wayne State’s only legitimate threat all day.
“He found a way to get out of it. One pitch and we’re out of it,” Fornelli said. “We did that a lot today. We bent but we didn’t break, and that’s what we’ve talked about all along.”
On a day that they didn’t need to do much, the ESU offense provided more than enough run support for Moore.
The formula for the Hornets’ success was timely hitting. They scored six of their seven runs with two outs and also put at least one run on the board in six innings.
Kenny Burkhead gave Moore an early lead, sending a high fastball over the left field fence with two outs in the first inning. It was Burkhead’s fifth homer on the season, but his first since March 14.
“I’ve been hitting a lot of singles lately, but I think it’s time for me to start swinging the stick a little better and start hitting some more doubles and home runs,” Burkhead said. “I’m in the three-hole, and that’s my job.”
The Hornets relied on mostly line drives for the rest of their runs. Kevin Wempe had a two-out line-drive RBI single in the fourth, and Jeremy Francis hit a line drive RBI double to add another run in the fifth.
The Wildcats had errors in the sixth and eighth innings that enabled Abe Steinbach and Andy Cotton to add to the Emporia State lead. Steinbach gave the Hornets a 4-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the sixth. Cotton drove in two insurance runs in the eight inning with a two-run double down the left field line that also came with two outs.
“We’re not playing small ball, but we’re hitting doubles with runners on first and second,” Cotton said. “We’re getting timely hits, clutch hits and putting up probably between seven and 10 a game. It’s been good so far offensively. Everybody knows their role and does a good job.”
Every ESU batter reached base at least once against the Wildcats. Kellen Lane was the only one to not get a hit, but Lane did draw a walk. The Hornets had a hit in every inning except the second.
The Hornets are off until Sunday when they begin a four-game series with Washburn. They will play a doubleheader on Sunday in Topeka and then play another doubleheader on Monday back in Emporia.
Wednesday at Falley Field
Emporia State 7, Wayne State 1
Emporia State 100 111 021 — 7 13 1
Wayne State 000 000 001 — 1 9 3
WP — Moore. LP — Voth.
E — ESU: Cotton; WSU: Wendte, Koch, Bisenius. DP — WSU 2. LOB — ESU 10, WSU 14. 2B — ESU: Crumbliss, Francis, Dreiling, Cotton; WSU: Wendte, Koch, Plasha. HR — ESU: Burkhead; WSU: Chadick. HBP — ESU: Dreiling. SH — WSU: Hemauer, Yost. CS — ESU: Steinbach.