The Emporia State baseball team took the lead in the bottom of the first on a T. J. Racherbaumer grand slam and never trailed again in a 9-2 victory over Missouri Western to win a midweek MIAA series at the Trusler Sports Complex on Tuesday. The day started shakily for ESU starter Gerardo Grijalva (2-1) as he allowed two runs to come across in the top of the first but he settled in and didn’t allow a run over the next five innings and gave up just four hits while Graeme Rios pitched three shutout innings to pick up his first save of the season. Brady Unrein returned from injury and went 2-for-3 and drove in two including a one on a solo homer in the fourth. The Hornets added three more in the sixth and then scored another run on a wild pitch in the seventh. Head coach Brad Hill said the Racherbaumer grand slam was a big boost for ESU and his starting pitcher’s confidence.
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Grijalva said winning the series 2-1 was a big team effort.
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With his home run, Racherbaumer moved into a tie for ninth in career home runs in ESU history with 24. Emporia State (18-19, 11-15 MIAA) returns to action Thursday for their Easter weekend series against Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. Due to forecasted severe weather on Saturday, the series has been shifted to two days with a 5:00 p.m. first pitch on Thursday followed by a doubleheader on Friday beginning at noon.
