In the final home games of the conference season on Sunday against Washburn, Ben Graham and David Albritton gave Emporia State fans one last look at a team that could have what it takes to make another strong postseason run.
Graham, the team’s senior ace, followed his one-hitter last week with a complete-game shutout in a 3-0 win in Game One, and the Hornet bats came alive in Game Two, as Albritton hit two home runs in a 13-2 run-rule win.
What’s the more significant development this time of year?
Well, Graham’s brilliance has come to be expected. He’s thrown four straight complete games and two shutouts in those four starts, all seven-inning games.
The ESU offense has not been as consistent, and Albritton, the Hornets’ best run producer, has been in the midst of a mini-slump. Albritton had just one multi-hit game and only five RBIs in his last 10 games coming into Sunday’s Game Two.
So Albritton hitting two home runs and driving in five runs was big for the Hornets. The junior catcher was nearly matched by the other big bat in the lineup, Kenny Burkhead, who went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs.
“If Kenny Burkhead and David Albritton are hitting, we’re going to win,” coach Bob Fornelli said. “That’s not putting pressure on them, that’s just the honest truth. We hope that they can get going at the end of the year here.”
Graham (7-2) won for the fourth straight time and gave the ESU offense a break in the opener.
Jeremy Francis led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second and came around to score on a groundout. The Hornets manufactured another run in the third when Dorain Williams scored on a sacrifice fly from Travis Whipple, but they finished the inning with three runners left stranded on base and stranded eight for the game.
Whipple led off the fifth to put the Hornets ahead 3-0, and that was more than enough for Graham.
Graham scattered five hits and did not allow a runner past second base, despite the fact that his defense committed three errors.
“He’s dominant all the time,” Albritton said. “He always competes harder than anyone on the field and you can see it. He’s quick. He knows what he’s doing out there and does a good job.”
In his last start against Missouri Southern, Graham had only two strikeouts, and he was one batter away from a perfect game. On Sunday, he had seven strikeouts and one walk, and most important to his success, he induced seven groundouts.
“I’m kind of getting in the zone lately and competing,” Graham said. “I’m finding out what kind of pitcher I am, kind of my identity. Just learning that that I don’t have stuff to blow by people, but if I get ahead in the count, then I have the ability to get a lot of ground balls.”
Game Two starter Jake Hosey also had another strong outing, keeping his perfect record intact. Hosey (7-0) ran into trouble in the second inning when the Ichabods started the inning with three straight singles to load the bases.
Brian Gomez hit a ground ball to second baseman Jacob White, who made a diving stop and flipped the ball to shortstop J.D. Herman, who then threw out Gomez at first for what appeared to be a double play. Instead, the umpire ruled that Herman’s foot did not touch the bag. The Ichabods scored a second run when Matt Raabe followed with a groundout, which should have ended the inning.
Hosey did not let the call affect him, as he faced just one over the minimum in the final five innings.
“He battled through that one inning, and he’s been unbelievable too,” Fornelli said. “He’s 7-0 now and every time we hand him the ball, he gives us an opportunity.”
The Hornets gave Hosey a big lead to work with thanks to big innings in the third and sixth innings. They scored four runs in the third inning, the big hit coming on Albritton’s first home run, a two-run opposite-field shot to right field that the wind carried out.
Albritton used the wind to his advantage again in the sixth, driving out a three-run shot to right, which put the Hornets ahead 13-2 and in position to end the game in the seventh inning by run rule.
“It was nice and a change from the pace I’ve been on lately,” Albritton said. “It was nice to get the opportunities today.”
Williams joined Albritton and Burkhead with two hits apiece to lead the team, and Williams finished the day with a team-best four hits. Whipple went 1 for 3 in Game Two, drove in three runs and finished with five RBIs in the two games.
With the doubleheader sweep, Emporia State (34-11, 26-8 MIAA) moved a game ahead of Nebraska-Omaha for second place in the conference and could push its lead to two games with another sweep today. ESU was to travel to Washburn (18-18, 16-15) today for a doubleheader at 4 p.m.
Matt Robertson will pitch Game One and Cole Moore will pitch Game Two, filling in for Colby Killian, who is sitting out because of a blister.
Sunday at Trusler
Game One
Washburn 000 000 0 — 0 5 0
Emporia State 101 010 X — 3 8 3
WP — Graham. LP — Ash.
E — ESU: Burkhead, Cody, White. DP — Hornets 2. LOB — WU 8, ESU 8. 2B — ESU: Herman. HR — ESU: Whipple. HBP — WU: Raabe; ESU: Albritton. SH — ESU: White. SF — ESU: Whipple. SB — ESU: Francis, Albritton. CS — ESU: Francis.
Game Two
Washburn 020 000 0 — 2 6 3
Emporia State 204 106 X — 13 10 0
WP — Hosey. LP — Parker.
E — WU: Simoneau, Ice 2. DP — Hornets 1. LOB — WU 2, ESU 3. 2B — ESU: Williams, Burkhead. HR — ESU: Albritton 2. SF — ESU: Whipple. SB — ESU: Williams, Burkhead, Whipple. CS — WU: Clark; ESU: Burkhead.