EMPORIA, Kan. — Holding onto the lead for much of the game, the Newman baseball team gave up a big inning late in a 10-7 loss to No. 8 Emporia State Sunday afternoon.
KEY SEQUENCE
The Jets (1-5) held a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh against the Hornets (), but a leadoff walk to start that frame led to some unraveling, as the hosts notched four straight singles with one out to tie things up at 6-6, and went on to add four more runs in the inning on the way to the series sweep.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Newman got out to a nearly perfect start, as Paul Rupnik lifted the fourth pitch of the game over the fence in left to stake the Jets to a 1-0 lead. Jon Coufal's sacrifice fly plated Brian Canfield, who walked earlier, and the guests led 2-0 before ESU went to the plate for the first time.
-Clay Druin doubled that lead in the fourth, smacking a two-run homer to center with two outs. Starter Zack Erdman worked through some trouble to leave the bases loaded in the second, but otherwise cruised through the first three innings.
-The Hornets started chipping away at the lead in the bottom of the fourth, pushing single runs across in three straight innings to cut the lead to 4-3. Newman answered that challenge though, as Channing Williams singled, Rupnik doubled, and Canfield knocked them both in with a single in the top of the seventh to make things 6-3.
-A pair of singles from Aaron Mack and Tyler Push helped cut into the lead to make it 10-7, but couldn't complete a comeback after ESU's big inning.
NOTES
-Canfield finished the game 3-for-3 with a walk, a run and two RBIs. It was the senior's fourth multi-hit game in the season's first six contests.
-Rupnik, Mack, Push and Williams each added a pair of hits, with the Jets rolling up 12 base hits on the day.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets play their final road games against a nonconference opponent next weekend, starting a four-game series at Colorado Mines Friday.
