The Emporia State spring athletic season is down the home stretch after this weekend’s action.
The Hornet baseball team couldn’t keep its momentum going dropping two of three games at Washburn in the Turnpike Tussle. After a 5-4 loss in game one to the Ichabods, the Hornets found a win by the same score in game two. The ‘Bods scored three in the first to take the lead before ESU got a run back on a Washburn error in the fifth. ESU plated four runs in the seventh aided by a groundout, a fielder’s choice, and two RBIs on a Noah Steele double. Brandon Vassalo (1-0) was assigned the win after getting one out while Grant Huffman picked up his eighth save allowing just one hit while shutting out the rival ‘Bods over the final 2.1 innings.
Washburn took care of business on Sunday with a 6-3 victory to take the series two games to one. Steele got the Hornets on the board in the first with a single up the middle before ESU plated two in the second on a Cooper Schwindt double and a sacrifice fly, but Washburn answered with three in the second to tie the game and ESU never scored again. Jake Khasaempanth (3-2) took the loss giving up a run in 2.0 innings. Working on back-to-back days, the Ichabods got to Huffman who gave up three hits and two earned runs while getting just one out in relief in the eighth inning. Steele went 3-for-5 in the game but the Hornets didn’t have anyone else with multiple hits in the lineup. ESU (32-15, 19-14 MIAA) wraps up the regular season with a three-game series versus Northeastern State on Thursday. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. at the Trusler Sports Complex.
Lady Hornet tennis wrapped up the regular season by blanking Arkansas-Fort Smith 7-0 on the road. ESU won both doubles matches that were completed to take the doubles point. The Lady Lions could only field five in singles, but it didn’t matter as ESU won every match in straight sets. ESU (10-11, 3-6 MIAA) finished seventh in the MIAA standings and missed the MIAA Tournament by one game. The Hornet men were idle Saturday and Sunday and finish the year 8-9 with a 2-3 MIAA/GAC record. They finished tied for fourth in the North Division but lost out on a tiebreaker to miss the MIAA/GAC Tournament.
