WICHITA - The visiting Emporia State Hornets struck early and often, and ended the home portion of the Newman baseball team's schedule with an 18-8 run-rule loss Tuesday evening. Tyler Hancock's 4-for-4 outing at the plate was the lone bright spot for the Jets.

Emporia State (25-16) scored an early run in the first, added three more in the second, and used a five-spot in the third to take a 9-0 lead.

Newman (25-16) finally scored in the third, and did so in a big way. Tanner Vinson opened the inning with a single to left field, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Tyler Hancock pushed Vinson across with a single to right, then moved to second on an error. Ruben Marrero followed with a single to left, and plated Hancock in the process. The big hit in the inning came off the bat of David Longmore, who doubled to left-center, and allowed Marrero and Corey Cowan, who reached on a walk, to score. Jordan Ollenberger's shot up the middle rewarded Longmore, and cut the Hornet lead to 9-5 after three innings.

But the Hornets were far from finished. Emporia State repeated its scoring performance from the first three innings with a run in the fourth, three more in the fiffth, and five more in the sixth. Newman's only answer was a three-run fifth inning, but it wasn't enough, and the Hornets walked away with the 18-8 run-rule victory.

Tyler Hancock went a game-best 4-for-4 at the plate, with two runs scored and two more batted in. Newman's only other multi-hit performance came from Tanner Vinson, who went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run and and RBI.

Making his third start of the season, Ashton Hoffman allowed four earned runs on six innings, and pitched the only Newman strikeout of the game while falling to 1-2 on the season. Tony Gonzales replaced Hoffman in the third, and was one of five relievers to make an appearance in the loss.

With the loss, the Jets fall to 25-16. They will return to action Friday, traveling to Tahlequah, Okla., for a four-game non-conference series with the Northeastern State Riverhawks. First pitch at Rousey Field is slated for 1 p.m.