Hornets | ESU Bulletin

Hornets go 1-1 in Sunday’s double header

Written by Doug Irby
Monday, 06 April 2009 15:35
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Catcher Mike Sharp hits a single against Missouri Western Sunday afternoon on Glennen Field at Trusler Sports Complex. ESU split the double header losing 2-9 in the first game and winning 9-5 in the second. The Hornets will face the Griffons at home in a double header at 1 p.m. today./PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

The Emporia State baseball team went 1-1 in a double-header Sunday in a series against Missouri Western University.

ESU lost the first game 9-2 and won the second game 9-5.

“The first game was not a good game and we had to get over it and move on and I thought we did a good job in the second game of doing that,” said Head Coach Bob Fornelli.

According to Fornelli, strong and cold wind played a large factor in both teams’ performances.

“We had to get them to hit the ball to the right field and stay on top of it,” Fornelli said. “That is what they did a good job of in the first game by hitting it over the right field wall and we kept flying out or striking out.”

Senior outfielder Conner Crumbliss said the wind affected the team because of the way they hit.

“It usually blows out to the left and we usually take advantage of it when it does because it is a lot easier to hit,” Crumbliss said. “But when it blows out right it is hard because we have a lot of right handed hitters.”

According to junior outfielder Jeremy Francis, the weather conditions made it hard for both teams to make plays in the outfield.

“It is not an excuse but it was the wind,” Francis said. “The wind is hard to judge when the ball is in the air but they played in the same conditions we did and they made the catches.”

Playing in bad weather was also mentally demanding.

“No one really wanted to physically be here but at the same time you have to show up,” Francis said. “Of course this would be a different game if we had good weather but at same time you have to face that and play through it.”

In the second game, Francis hit a drive to right field which allowed all three runners to score and put the Hornets in the lead at the bottom of the 5^th inning.

“It was a weird swing,” Francis said. “I check swung and it just went of the bat and the ball hoped over his glove and coach kept swinging me so I just took off as fast as I could.”

Crumbliss said the run created a momentum change for the Hornets.

“That was huge because we finally got the lead,” Crumbliss said. “We had been getting beat all day and it was nice to finally get ahead.”

The Hornets would maintain the lead for the rest of the game, holding the Griffons to five runs.

“Coach got onto us between games to try and get the ball on the ground a little better,” Crumbliss said. “Because we were hitting a lot of fly balls so we just had to focus more. We just have to show up and play hard. If we play hard we should not lose to anybody.”

The Hornets will play NWMU today in another double-header to finish the series.

“We have a huge week,” Fornelli said. “In the next six days we have eight more games. We have got to continue to play hard, continue to do the little things and continue to find a way to win.”

Both teams will continue play tomorrow at 1 p.m. from Glennen Field in Emporia, Kan.

Doug Irby/The Bulletin

Hornets clinch first place in MIAA

Written by Bulletin Staff
Monday, 02 March 2009 14:57
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Senior Forward Allie Renburg looks to pass after a rebound Saturday night at White Auditorium./PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

The Emporia State women’s basketball team clinched the number one seed in the MIAA tournament after beating Fort Hays 73-68 Saturday night.

The Hornets entered the match up in first place in the MIAA and fifth in the nation.

The Tigers are in eighth place in the conference and have lost nine out the past ten games against ESU.

Midway through the first half, senior guard Andrea Leiker nailed a three point jumper and extended a 29-13 Hornet lead. Leiker went on to lead the Hornets in scoring with 21 points on the night.

On the other side of the ball, junior guard Naomi Bancroft scored 17 unanswered points, making five out of seven three point shots in the first half and scoring 21 points on the night.

“She is a player we have to treat with a great deal of respect,” said Head Coach Brandon Schneider. “Because of her ability to make three point shots but probably most importantly because of the type of shots she is going to take they are really shockers to a lot of people if you are not prepared for it.”

At half time, the Hornets had a 47-33 lead while shooting at 56 percent from field goal range and making eight out of 17 three point shots.

The Tigers completed 48 percent of their shots and were making six out of 12 three point shots.

“First half we executed pretty well on the offensive end,” Schneider said. “We made some mistakes defensively to let some shooters get lose.”

Throughout the second half, the Hornets struggled on both sides of the ball, shooting at 27 percent while allowing the Tigers to get with in three points late in the game. Junior guard Brittney Miller kept the Hornets alive with 12 points on the night with nine of those points coming in the second half.

“I feel like our team has confidence in me,” Miller said. “So when it is there I am going to step up and make it and work hard.”

This was the Tigers’ first loss after winning the last three games, which left FHS tied with Northwest Missouri for seventh in the MIAA.

“You have to give Hays a lot of credit to win their last three ball games,” Schneider said. “When you don’t have a shiny record it is real easy to quit. You have to give those kids a lot of credit going down the stretch and they didn’t quit tonight. I think Tony does a really good job and should get consideration for coach of the year in the league.”

The Hornets were named MIAA Champions as well as the number one seed coming into the MIAA tournament which begins this weekend.

“For the players I hope they enjoy it tonight,” Schneider said. “Then I hope they start thinking about the next challenge ahead of us starting some time tomorrow. We will obviously try to take a few days to rest a little bit. We need to have some good workouts going into the tournament because I don’t know who we play yet but I know it is going to be a challenge.”

The Hornets play at noon next Friday against South Baptist in Kansas City, Mo.

Cristian Echeverria/The Bulletin

Hornets take Jets 20-9

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 26 February 2009 12:45
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Senior Lucas Fornelli pitches against a Butler Community College hitter during a JV game Wednesday afternoon at the Trusler Sports Complex. ESU will host Northwest Missouri at 1 p.m. for a double header this Saturday./PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

The Emporia state baseball team played their first home game of the season last Tuesday against the Newman Jets. The Hornets won 20-9.

“It is good to be home,” said Sophmore infielder Kevin Wempe. “We had been on the road for a couple of weeks.”

Before Tuesday’s game, the team had yet to experience the new turf in the infield section of Glennan Field.

“This was the first time we played a game on the turf,” said senior infielder Connor Crumbliss. “The turf is going to play well for us.”

The Hornets started the bottom of the first inning with a homerun by Crumbliss.

“It was a fastball over the plate and I just hit it,” Crumbliss said. “We hit well tonight but our team is going to rely on singles and doubles.”

The Hornets had 21 hits compared to the Jets’ 17.

“We swung the bat well tonight and we just played well,” said junior infielder Kenny Burkhead. “The guys that threw for them seemed like they were not throwing very hard and we adjusted pretty well.”

The Hornets’ defense shutout the Jets in three innings before giving up a run. The Jets scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to pull within four runs of the Hornets’ lead. The Hornets responded by adding 11 more runs in five innings and holding the Jets to just four runs over that span.

Both teams hit five homeruns in the game and combined for 29 runs.

“Our offense performed really well tonight,” Wempe said. “We hit the ball all over the field.”

Throughout the game, there were nine pitching changes made between both teams.

“We have to throw more strikes, change speeds and work ahead in the count,” said Head Coach Bob Fornelli. “Every pitcher who went out on the mound tonight has an opportunity to help us but right now they’re not pitching like it.”

Freshman Dominic King was the winning pitcher for the Hornets. He went two innings and had eight hits and four runs against him.

The Hornets improve to 8-2 on the season and will play four games at home before heading out on the road again.

The Hornets will play against Northwest Missouri in a double header at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Glennen Field.

Matt Pierce/The Bulletin

Hornets trump Ichabods on the road

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 26 February 2009 12:40
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The Emporia State men’s basketball team ended last night’s game 78-63 in a decisive win over the Washburn Ichabods.

At one point in the game, the Hornets were up by 19. The Ichabods did not go quietly, bringing the game within three points with less than six minutes left.

“They were a good team and they were making a run,” said Head Coach David Moe. “We did not have a lot of rhythm. They were playing great and then we held our composure. We never really panicked – they were just out playing us.”

Despite five consecutive missed shots and foul trouble, the Hornets were able to maintain the lead after a momentum swinging drive from junior guard Lamar Wilbern for a two point conversion. Lamar had 19 points on the night.

“I was trying to pick my place,” Wilbern said. “I had some good looks and we ran a play down the stretch. Coach called that for me and I just wanted to attack the rim.”

Junior forward Jeremiah Box and junior guard Robert Moores went into double digits, both with 21 on the night.

The Hornets showed good prowess off the rim with 30 rebounds and a well working transition defense with 16 points off of turnovers.

“They strive off the offensive board and we did a great job on the defensive board,” Box said. “I think the biggest thing tonight was boxing out and it was a team effort.”

With an approximate 51 percent shooting average in the last three games, the Hornets are cleaning up their stats from a messy middle season.

“I thought it was a rewarding victory for us,” Moe said. “We have been getting better, it just has not shown up in the wins and losses and I think we are a much better team than we were at 7-2 now that we are 11-8.”

With a win against an infamous rival on the away court, the Hornets look forward to Saturday’s senior night game with optimism.

“We have been working hard – we have been getting and playing better,” Moe said. “We have got to realize that we are getting better and that is what is going to help us with confidence down the road as we continue to improve.”

The Hornets go into their final home game against the 11-7 Fort Hays Tigers. The Hornets are 17-9 in overall play and 11-8 in the MIAA. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in White Auditorium.

Doug Irby/The Bulletin

Hornets defeat Bronchos at Central Oklahoma

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 19 February 2009 18:42
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The Emporia State baseball team defeated Central Oklahoma 18-13 Tuesday in Edmund, Okla. Tuesday’s match up was an important game for the Hornets.

“Every game is a challenge,” said Head Coach Bob Fornelli. “We have been going on the road so much we have not had a chance to practice. We were fortunate enough to come out and play well and, in the end, win it.”

The Hornets took Oklahoma by surprise by accumulating a total of 10 runs in the eighth inning alone.

“Everybody played very well,” said Rudy Weiser, freshman catcher. “The whole team did a good job.”

Ryan Anthony, senior pither for the Hornets, pitched the first six innings and only allowed two hits in the beginning of the game.

“Ryan Anthony, for the first six innings, was very good and we are very excited about what he did today,” Fornelli said.

Anthony said he had one thing in mind prior to Tuesday’s game.

“I was just trying to go out and get a chance to win it,” Anthony said.

Kenney Burkhead, junior first baseman, had a total of six attempts at bat, five of which were hits. Of Burkhead’s five hits, four resulted in a run. Burkhead also batted in seven teammates, assisting the team in 11 overall scores.

Senior infielder Connor Crumbliss also contributed to the win. With a total of one hit, two runs and one teammate batted in, Crumbliss assisted the team in three runs.

“Connor is our best player,” Fornelli said. “We think he is going to be a guy that does good things for us and enables our offense to go.”

The Hornets had a total of 48 attempts at bat, 16 of which resulted in a hit. The 16 hits all resulted in either a run or runners batted in, which averaged to 17 RBI’s. Of the 18 runs scored by the Hornets, four were home runs.

“For the most part (the team) believe in themselves, they know we have a lot of work to get to where we would like to go,” Fornelli said.

With a long road ahead of them, the Hornets have a total of 51 games left and are preparing for the games to come.

“We are definitely not close to talking about the World Series yet,” Fornelli said. “Our goal is to get better each and every day and if we could do that we could be a tournament ready team in the end.”

The Hornets will spend a short time in Emporia in preparation for their upcoming games.

“We just have to go out and get a good practice Wednesday, get on the bus and get after it Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Fornelli said. “I think were going to have a great weekend to get us on the right track for next week for when we open conference.”

Cody Grauberger/The Bulletin

Hornets beat Gorillas, qualify for MIAA Champs

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 19 February 2009 18:37
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Junior Guard Robert Moores fights for a layup against a Pittsburg State defender Wednesday night at White Auditorium. The Hornets beat the Gorillas 84-74./PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

The Emporia State men’s basketball team qualifies for the MIAA tournament action after a 65-54 win over Pittsburg State Wednesday.

The Hornets came into the competition after losing to Missouri Southern, with an overall record of 15-9 and 9-8 in conference play. They were led by junior guard Robert Moores, who averages 16 points and two rebounds per game this year.

On the other side, the Gorillas are 10-13 in overall play and 5-11 in the MIAA. They are led by senior guard Carlos Taylor, who averages 17 points per game. Their team leading rebounder, TJ Stukes, averages 7.8 rebounds per game this year.

This was the 176^th meeting between these two teams with ESU leading the series winning 89 and loosing 86 games between these two teams. Last time these two teams met, junior guard Lamar Wilbern scored 27 points and 16 rebounds while defeating the Gorillas 102-100 in an MIAA, tying four overtimes in Pittsburg Kansas.

The Hornets shot 54 percent on the night with junior forward Adam Holthaus, who lead in scoring with 16 points and eight rebounds on the night.

The Gorillas made 21-45 of their shots on the night with Stukes leading in scoring with 12 points two assists and nine rebounds on the night. Midway in the first half, junior guard Tim Niles sank a basket that gave the Hornets a 12-11 lead.

After eight lead changes in the first half, Robert Moores missed both foul shots and left the Gorillas with a 29-26 lead. Later in the first half, the Hornets struggled with shooting, completing 34 percent of their shots. Holthaus scored nine points, five rebounds and one assist.

“The biggest difference in making shots from the first half from the second half was that we were attacking the basket in the second half and not attacking the basket in the first just settling for the first thing we can fling up,” said Head Coach David Moe. “With that comes a little hangover effect from the end of the last game and once you get away from that and start attacking the paint from inside out it makes shots easier.”

The Gorillas led 29-26 at the end of the first half and completed 12-26 of their attempted shots. Midway through the second half, the Hornets regained momentum with a 50-41 lead after sophomore guard Jordan Stout sank a three pointer.

“We had to continue to be patient,” Wilbern said. “The shots we going to fall and when we missed shots we stopped pressing. We did a good job being patient and waiting on things to open up.” The Hornets are now 16-9 in overall play and 9-8 in the conference.

Cristian Echeverria/The Bulletin

Hornets conquer Lions at Missouri

Written by Bulletin Staff
Monday, 16 February 2009 19:13
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The Emporia State women’s basketball team won in a blowout last Sunday beating Missouri Southern 79-56 at Joplin Missouri.

Coming into last Saturday’s match up, MSSU had a record of 11-4 in conference play and was in fourth place in the MIAA standings with a secured spot in the MIAA tournament.

Prior to last Saturday’s match up, the Hornets had a record of 14-2 in MIAA play and began their road trip after losing to Nebraska Omaha 78-72 and beating Southwest Baptist 89-81.

The Hornets began the game with a 16-2 run and did not trail in the game. ESU held MSSU to 33 percent field goal shooting while the Hornets made 51 percent of their field goal shots.

“We kept our same defensive plan,” said junior guard Sophia Lenard. “We played good pressure defense and rotated well and I think that frustrated them a little bit they had to go out one on one rotating aggressively and we rebounded the ball well.”

Throughout the game, senior forward Ida Edwards scored 22 points with six rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots on the night. Lenard had nine assists and made 11 total points from the field.

“They were both very active on the defensive end of the floor,” said Head Coach Brandon Schneider. “They did a great job on the backboards and they both have very good offensive nights. Ida doesn’t miss a shot and Sophia had nine assists. Those two really did a nice job making plays for us.”

At half time, the Hornets held the lead 44-27 while keeping MSSU to one out of eight three point attempts. The Hornets made nine for nine in their free throw attempts.

“We knew coming into half time we had the big lead,” Edwards said. “We have been struggling with this all season in the second half letting up but we told ourselves we are not letting up defense had to just lead playing defense for 40 minutes tonight.”

The Hornets ended the game with four players in double digit scoring, while continuing their winning tradition with a record of 21-3.

The Hornets are now on their last three games of the season leading up to the MIAA tournament.

“Our kids understand that this is an important time of year,” Schneider said. “They have worked extremely hard to this point and we have some really tough challenges ahead of us which is going to be very important for us to have focus for our preparation.”

The Hornets maintain a one game lead in first place in front of Washburn University in the MIAA standings.

The Hornets play next at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday against Pittsburg State at William Lindsey White Auditorium.

Hornets split double header, prepare for MIAA play

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 12 February 2009 19:48
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The Emporia State softball team ended last season with a record of 42-17, winning the

MIAA Regular Season and advancing to the NCAA Division II Championship game. The Hornets opened the 2009 season with a record of 3-1 with all four games on the road and ranked 25^thin the nation.

Before the season started, ESU and Nebraska-Omaha tied for first place in the MIAA Coaches Poll with 94 points each.

The Hornets brought back three new players to join the roster this season. One newcomer is freshman pitcher Jennifer Heerey, followed by sophomore Utility Player Abby Hughes, who transferred from Nebraska, as well as junior In fielder Lindsay Bower, who transferred from Johnson County Community College.

“Our main goal is to win the National Championship,” said Kristi Bredbenner, head softball coach. “For a lot of programs they can’t say that just because it is not realistic. For us it is something realistic.”

The Hornets split their first double header last Friday winning the first game 8-4. Junior Outfielder Jenna Potter hit a double with bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning, contributing to the win.

The Hornets lost their second game 7-4 against 18^th nationally ranked Colorado School of Mines where Heerey gave up six hits and five earned runs.

“I think they were ready,” Bredbenner said. “It might have been a little tough making the transition going out on the field. We were a little rusty in some areas but we definitely picked it up with our hitting.”

After Friday’s match ups, the Hornets won their second double header, scoring 5-2 in the first game and 6-4 in the second match. Junior infielder Miranda Campbell went two for two with two runs batted in against CSM.

“The first weekend I thought we did great,” Bredbenner said. “I thought the pitchers pitched well and we got enough hits to score enough runs to win those games.”

The Hornets are in second place in the MIAA and ranked second in team batting with 52 homeruns and 307 runs batted in. On the other side of the mound, the Hornets are ranked second in team pitching with an ERA of 2.10.

ESU will play their first opponent in the MIAA Feb.14 in the Abilene Christian Tournament. The Hornets will go on to play their first home game March 13 for the start of the ESU Spring Tournament in Emporia.

“The last couple tournaments we really want to focus on getting acclimated,” Bredbenner said. “We want to get out on the field and work on the things that we need to work on to be a better softball team so that when we get to conference play in the MIAA we are ready to go.”

Cristian Echeverria/The Bulletin

Hornets defeat Jennies, maintain first in MIAA

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 05 February 2009 14:34
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Junior guard Lacy Corker goes for a lay up against Central Missouri defender Meghan Waggoner Wednesday night at White Auditorium. ESU beat the Jennies with a final score of 93-69. KELLEN JENKINS/THE BULLETIN

The Emporia State women’s basketball team beat Central Missouri 93-69 Wednesday, extending the Hornets’ winning streak to eight games.

The Hornets entered Wednesday’s match up with an overall record of 18-2 and a MIAA record of 12-1. Last time these teams met, the Hornets went on a 19-2 run, taking a 77-64 win.

On the other side of the court, UCM was14-6 in overall play and 9-4 in the MIAA and ranked sixth in South Central Region. The Jennies had lost two in a row coming into Wednesday’s match up.

With two consecutive three point shots by senior guard Andrea Leiker and senior forward Allie Renberg, the Hornets took a 31-10 lead with seven minutes left in the first half.

After leading by 20 points early in the first half, the Jennies cut their deficit with a 40-29 score at half time.

The Hornets played well defensively in the first half, holding the Jennies to 27 percent shooting.

“I think defensively we were good in the first half,” said Head Coach Brandon Schneider. “We just were not rewarding ourselves on the offensive end. We got a little loose with it when we got the lead and let them get back in it.”

With six minutes left in the game, junior guard Jamie Augustine made a three pointer, extending the Hornets’ lead to 80-54.

“All three of us are good three point shooters,” Leiker said. “When they are leaving us open like that we made some shots.”

Throughout the game junior guard Cassondra Boston made 20 points, while completing five three pointers on the night.

“I think we have been playing very well,” Boston said. “We have been picking it up on the defensive end and we are able to execute on offense and if we play strong we can be a good team.”

The Hornets completed 63 percent of their shots, 40 of those points were off of turnovers.

The Hornets are now 19-2 in overall play and 13-1 in MIAA action. They maintain first place in the conference.

The Jennies move to fourth place in the conference with an overall record of 14-7 and 9-5 in the MIAA.

The Hornets are now getting ready for a three game road trip against top ranked opponents in their conference.

“We understand the conference that we play in,” Schneider said. “We have the toughest stretch ahead of us starting with Nebraska Omaha where it has proven to be a difficult place to have success.”

Last time the Hornets played against Nebraska Omaha the Hornets won 85-67, but UNO has only lost two games at home this season against MIAA opponents.

The Hornets play UNO at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Nebraska.

Cristian Echeverria/The Bulletin

Hornets held back by challenging Mule defense

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 05 February 2009 14:29
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Junior guard Tim Niles drives against the Central Missouri defense Wednesday night at White Auditorium. The Hornets, who stayed close throughout the first half, lost to the Mules with a final score of 82-58. KELLEN JENKINS/THE BULLETIN

Emporia State lost against Central Missouri Wednesday night 75-55.

The Hornets came into Wednesday’s match up 14-6 in overall play and 8-5 in the MIAA. This was the 100^th meeting between these two teams, with Central Missouri leading the series 61-38.

Last time these two teams met, the Hornets lost for the first time this year in the MIAA 71-54.

The Mules entered the game with a 17-3 overall record and 10-3 in the MIAA. UCM was ranked 18^th in the NABC Poll and has the best ranked defense in the conference.

With 10 minutes left in the first half, sophomore Adam Holthaus made a three pointer making it a Hornet 21-18 lead.

After the first half, the Hornets struggled on offense making 40 percent of their shots to go down 42-31.

“It was their aggressive defense,” said junior guard Robert Moores. “They played together as a team making us feel uncomfortable on offense. We just need to learn how they play with heart and enthusiasm.”

Throughout the game, the Mules scored 19 points from the bench,18 of which came from inside the paint.

“We allowed them to get comfortable early in the game,” said Head Coach David Moe. “While they kept us on our heels defensively and that is how they ended up with the lead in the second half.”

The Hornets continued to struggle through the end of the night, making 16 of 41 shots from field goal range and 6 of 17 shots from three point range.

“As a team we did not come out defensively,” said junior guard Lamar Wilbern. “We made a few shots but we did not defend and the shots stopped falling.”

The Mules, on the other hand, made 58 percent of their shots, 29 of which came from the bench.

The Hornets leave their last two home games 1-1, while they look forward to a three game road series starting this Saturday.

“We have to move on and learn from it,” Moe said. “We have to let this pass and finish strong the last six games and show improvements in Omaha.”

This will be the Hornets’ second three game road trip of the season and they will play second in the MIAA South Baptist and fourth place ONU along with Missouri Southern.

If the Hornets win all three road games, they could be put back into contention for the MIAA tournament.

The Hornets start their road trip playing against Nebraska Omaha at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Omaha.

Cristian Echeverria/The Bulletin