The spring sports season had perhaps its busiest weekend of the year so far for Emporia State over the last two days.
The Emporia State men’s tennis team set the tone with a sweep of Newman 7-0 to open up MIAA/GAC play Saturday. The #31 Hornets picked up the doubles point with a critical 7-6 tiebreak win at #2 doubles by Anton Sarunic and Luke West. The Hornets picked up two wins at singles in straight sets from Alexis Mattenberger and Diego Calvo at #3 and #4 singles. #13 Anton Sarunic came from a set down to clinch the match at #1 singles as the Hornets ended a five-dual losing streak to the Jets dating back to 2018 improving to 9-3 on the year and going to 1-0 in MIAA/GAC North Division play. The Hornets hit the road Friday to face Nebraska-Kearney.
The Emporia State track and field teams opened up the outdoor season by hosting the ESU Relays. The Black & Gold combined for 11 provisional qualifiers with the men finishing second as a team while the Lady Hornets finished fourth. The Hornets had a great day Saturday throwing with four of the top seven finishers in the men’s javelin with the top 11 in the event all throwing NCAA Division II qualifying marks. ESU’s Kole Manley finished second throwing 230 feet-4 inches for the third best throw in school history. Ty Anderson set a school record with a 10.17 in the men’s 100m dash and also had a provisional mark in the long jump placing third. Cooper Schroer won the men’s 800m. Earlier in the event, Luke Gleason was second in the men’s 1500m run.
The Lady Hornets were led by Abigael Reid who won the women’s 400m hurdles with a provisional qualifying time while her teammate Isabella Davie finished second. Mia Manley hit a provisional mark in the women’s pole vault. On Friday, Mason Bina was third in the women’s 1500m run while Savannah Stewart jumped a personal best for third in the women’s pole vault. In the team standings, the Hornets finished second behind Wichita State while the Shockers also won the women’s event. ESU stays at home to host the Midwest Classic beginning Friday.
Meanwhile the Hornet baseball team shrugged off a two-game losing streak to gut out a come-from-behind 2-1 series win at Missouri Southern. The Hornets started the comeback with a 12-7 victory on Saturday. The game featured 29 hits but the Hornets made the most of their offense jumping in front with a four-run third and never trailing again. The Hornets led 6-1 at one point with all the runs scoring on home runs as ESU homered four times in the game. Seth Stover (3-3) gutted out the win scattering eight hits in 5.2 innings while giving up three runs.
Sunday was a different story with the Hornet bats unable to string hits together, but Cade Barton (4-0) tossed a gem going 7.1 innings while giving up six hits and Nick Woodcock threw 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings to earn his second save in a 2-0 win for the Hornets to clinch the series. Sammy Padilla doubled home a run in the second before Elijah Reeves singled home an insurance run in the ninth for the Hornets. ESU (16-12, 9-8 MIAA) continues its road swing Tuesday visiting Missouri Western for game two of its first MIAA midweek series. The Hornets lead the series 1-0 after a 10-9 victory over the Griffons back on March 18. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.
