EMPORIA, Kan. - Newman Baseball ended the season on a high note on Monday, defeating Emporia State in a game that was vital to the Hornets postseason hopes. Two back to back home runs from
Joe Kinneberg and
Blake Mitchell in the sixth inning put the game on ice in a big road road win to end the 2024 campaign.
The Hornets had beat the Jets in two close games on Friday evening, winning the second game in dramatic fashion to win the series. However, the Hornets had not secured a spot in the MIAA Tournament, with a win giving them the seven seed and loss leaving them out of the fray.
Struggling on offense and giving up two runs to begin the game, the Jets weren't able to get a hit until the third inning, where they had five.
Following a lead off single from
Jason Schneider,
Nick Chasey hit a triple that nearly went out of the ballpark and got Newman its first run. Chasey would be brought home the very next play to tie the game, as hot hitter
Connor Owens would then give the Jets a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the afternoon.
Although the Hornets got the game back within a run in the fourth, hits would be hard to come by for the home team thanks to a good outing from
Colby Wilson. In six innings of work, Wilson struck out five and allowed just two earned runs for his second win of the season.
Newman continued to hit the ball well, which culminated with three runs being scored off home runs in the sixth inning.
Joe Kinneberg got the first with a two RBI bomb, while
Blake Mitchell followed it right after with a solo shot of his own.
The Jets had two times as many hits than the Hornets did, with the scoring run in the sixth putting the game well out of reach for an Empoira State team that was in a do or die situation.
Relief pitchers
Jaret Granger and
Andrew Prieve saw the rest of the game out, striking out three between the two and allowing just one hit in the final three innings.
The 8-3 win was Newman's tenth win in the MIAA this season. The result also means that the Hornets were eliminated from MIAA Tournament contention thanks to the strong outing from the Navy and Red.
The Jets finish the year with a 14-35 record, including seven wins in the MIAA in the month of April.
The postseason awards for the 2024 MIAA Baseball season will be announced later this week.
