WICHITA, Kan. – Twice slicing the lead down to just one run, the Newman baseball team couldn't solve a solid Emporia State side, falling 8-6 in a nonconference game Wednesday afternoon at McCarthy Field.

The Jets (5-7) once again found ways to make things happen on offense, cracking 10 hits against the Hornets (11-2), who are ranked No. 13 in the country by Collegiate Baseball, but their in-state foes were able to come up with some clutch hits to secure the win.

The guests got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the second, but the Jets answered immediately to take their first lead of the game. Nick Griffin was hit by a pitch and moved to third on Paul Rupnik's double before both game in on Aaron Mack's single back up the middle to tie it.

Jacob Hamerle singled to push Mack across with two outs, and Newman held on to a 3-2 lead. ESU evened the score in the third, and doubled their output with three runs in the fourth as the Newman offensive momentarily stalled.

The Jets got going again in the fifth, as Channing Williams singled with one out and stole both second and third. Brian Canfield sent him home with a single, and Rupnik's second double of the day to the wall in left chased Griffin home to cut the deficit to one.

Alex Hoelscher tossed a perfect seventh after the Hornets added to their lead in the sixth, allowing Rene Rivera to notch his first extra-base hit of the season on a double that scored Canfield and sliced the lead back to one at 7-6.

The Hornets once again added an insurance run in the next frame, and they escaped a jam when Daniel Jahnke and Ked Bailey singled but couldn't score in the eighth. Newman went down in order in the ninth to close it out.

Nine different Jets picked up a hit on the day, led by Rupnik's two doubles.

The Jets are back in action in their first true road games of the season, heading to Augustana for a three-game set this Saturday and Sunday.