The Emporia State baseball team used a big fourth inning to beat Newman 10-7 to win game one of a three-game series at the Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia on Friday. The Jets jumped in front quickly with a three-run first inning, but the Hornets answered with three in the bottom of the second on RBI singles by Brady Unrein and Peyton Lewis and an NU fielder’s choice. The Navy & Red led 6-3 through the top of the fourth, but ESU homered three times in the bottom of the fourth on the way to plating six runs. The barrage was started by a three-run bomb to center field by Noah Steele while Cooper Schwindt and Unrein also left the yard. NU got a run back in the seventh but ESU scored right back to keep the Jets down three. Head coach Brad Hill liked his team’s big response in the fourth.
Steele led the Hornet offense going 2-for-4 while driving in four and said he got his pitch on his home run to center.
Elijah Reeves went 3-for-3 for ESU. Graeme Rios (4-1) picked up the win lasting five innings giving up nine runs and six hits while Ian Lanik picked up his sixth save in six opportunities giving up just one hit in the ninth. The six saves is the most by a Hornet pitcher since 2017 when Nathan Whitcomb had 11. ESU will go for their second series win in MIAA play Saturday with a first pitch of 2:00 p.m.
