Fornelli picks up 500th win

Jordan Haiduk / The Bulletin

Senior outfielder Brian Majors tries to beat a throw to first base against Pittsburg State on Tuesday. Majors got hits in both games to extend his personal hitting streak to 22 games as the Hornets swept PSU to become 28-3 overall and 14-0 in MIAA play.

The Emporia State baseball team, which moved up to #6 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, kept its winning streak alive by sweeping Pittsburg State Tuesday night. Game two's win gave head coach Bob Fornelli his 500th win in his collegiate career.

"It's a great deal. It's a great club and they're doing the right thing. 500 wins is because we have great kids," Fornelli said. "We have good kids and we get them to believe and play hard everyday. If you play hard everyday you have a chance to win every day."

Junior second baseman Conner Crumbliss was happy to be a part of the milestone win.

"It's great. I was here when we got his 400th, it's a big deal," Crumbliss said. "I'm real happy for coach."

The Hornets won game one in a high scoring 13-11 seven inning game and ESU came from behind in game two to come out on top 8-5. The team's winning streak is now to 21 games which is the highest in school history.

"We haven't really thought about the winning streak too much. Finding a way to win is the big thing," senior catcher Keith Hernandez said. "We just want to start by getting someone to first and then just doing fundamentals from there, I think it's good for us."

Senior left fielder Brian Majors also extended his hitting streak to 22 games which is the highest in school history since ESU began keeping track in 2000.

Game one was an offensive game as the two teams combined for 27 hits and 24 runs.

Senior Kellen Mitts took the mound for the Hornets and went 2.1 innings while giving up six runs on five hits. Senior Ty Reese came in to relieve Mitts and went 2.2 innings. Reese allowed four runs on three hits before senior Brock Nehls took over for the last two innings and only allowed one run on five hits. Reese picked up the win which puts him at 3-0 on the year. Nehls got the save which is his first for the season.

ESU put up five runs in the first inning to take a 5-1 lead, but PSU then answered with five runs in the second. The Hornets then had another big offensive inning by adding seven runs in the third inning to take the lead.

ESU was led by Hernandez who went three for three with three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman third baseman Kevin Wempe went three for four with two runs scored and two RBI as Majors added three runs scored and two RBI on two for two hitting.

"I just wanted to have a good day today," Hernandez said. "I came out here and said I want to have fun and I told myself to be a little more patient at the plate today and look for pitches I wanted to hit."

Junior Diego Soto got the start for the Hornets in game two and had to work from behind for a majority of the night. PSU scored three runs in the first inning and then added one run in both the second and third innings. ESU got on the board on a triple by Crumbliss which scored one run to put the Hornets down 1-5.

After an RBI by junior designated hitter Richie Stewart in the fourth, ESU rallied to score four total runs in the inning to tie the game at five. The Hornet defense was then able to hold PSU scoreless for the fifth inning. Crumbliss hit a solo homerun in the fifth inning to break the 5-5 tie to give ESU its first lead of the game.

Soto put in 5.2 innings of work and allowed five runs on eight hits while striking out five. Senior Aaron Burris came in for relief work and held PSU scoreless while only giving up one hit and striking out three through 3.1 innings of work.

The Hornets put up two more runs to take an 8-5 victory. Soto picked up the win to put him at 3-0 on the year and Burris got his third save of the season. Junior first baseman Caleb Williamson went two for three with three RBI and one run scored as Crumbliss went two for four with two RBI and one run scored.

The Hornets had seven errors in the first game and added three more in the second.

"I think we just weren't ready to play," Crumbliss said. "We kind of came out here not really prepared. In the second game we struggled early but we picked it up in the end."

Fornelli wasn't happy with the sloppiness of the two games but is optimistic about the weekend series against Fort Hays State.

"It wasn't pretty but they found a way to win and hopefully we'll continue to get better. Hopefully we can come out and have good practices the next two days to get ready for a big weekend with Hays."