In highlighting the first of two landscape-forming Division II match-ups this weekend, we will take a look at a huge MIAA series, as undefeated Washburn (14-0, 8-0 MIAA) will take on #7 Emporia State (10-3, 4-3 MIAA) in a split series. The first and last games of the four-game series will take place at Emporia, while a doubleheader on Saturday will take place at Washburn.
The Hornets of ESU have been a highly-ranked team all season and are one of the favorites to get out of the region and head to Cary if they take care of business along with Minnesota State. So far this year, they have mostly lived up to expectations. Emporia's only hiccups came when they dropped three of four to Missouri Western on February 20th and 21st, a solid team in its own right. Outside of that, Emporia, admittedly, does not have many impressive victories, but still boast an impressive squad, as they have nearly every year recently.
The senior-laden lineup of the Hornets boasts six players in the usual starting lineup that will be leaving ESU at season's end, including Dean Long, who is mashing to the tune of a .396 batting average and .958 slugging percentage with seven home runs and 22 RBI early on in the season to go with six stolen bases (in seven attempts). When it comes to speed over power, look no further than fellow senior Justin Harris, who is leading the MIAA with 12 stolen bases and is hitting .480 (with a .542 on-base percentage) on the year so far. Seven of the nine usual starters are batting at least .317, and seven of the nine hitters have also deposited at least one ball over the outfield fence, so there isn't much rest at any point in the lineup.
On the mound, Emporia has a pair of starters that are putting up some very impressive numbers so far, led by Garrett Brummett, who is 3-0 in four starters with a 1.50 ERA, 23 strikeouts (to one walk) in 18 innings, holding hitters to a .224 average. Beyond Brummett is Travis Hendry, who is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts with 14 strikeouts in 20 innings of work. The other two starters, at least so far, have not been on the same level as Brummett and Hendry, but solidify a great 3-4 combination. Jarrod Miller, who has only started twice, is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and is striking out better than a batter an inning. Shawn Talkington is 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 18.1 innings of work, but these last two pitchers have been prone to the long ball so far this year, accounting for eight of the 14 allowed home runs by ESU pitchers so far this year.
As a team, Emporia is batting .342 and are slugging .553, but the most impressive number compared to their opponents may be the 40-for-47 on stolen bases, while their opponents are 9-for-11 on the paths. The 3.88 team ERA for Emporia is a little higher than you would want considering the competition they have faced, but when you are forcing your opponents in to a 9.00 team ERA, it is more than acceptable.
When it comes to Washburn, they have been one of the most surprising teams in the nation. They were selected ninth...NINTH in the MIAA preseason poll, while Emporia was the preseason favorite. It has been a spectacular season for first-year head coach Harley Douglas up to this point, although the toughest part of their schedule is still to come.
For as impressive as ESU's numbers are, Washburn so far this year trumps them in every category, admittedly with a similarly-not-that-tough schedule. However, the Ichabods are hitting .366 as a team with a .584 slugging percentage and a majestic .481 on-base percentage. The squad is led by Riley Krane, who is batting .512 with five doubles, three triples, a .907 slugging percentage and a .571 OBP. Also raking for the Bods is Parker Gibson, hitting .500 with a .545 OBP and only two strikeouts in 58 at-bats. Much like ESU, Washburn has seven of nine usual starters hitting .310 or above, and their big stick, David Gauntt, is one of those under that threshold at .256, but he leads the team in home runs (four), RBI (24) and walks (nine).
Also much like ESU, the Ichabods have a pair of extremely impressive starting pitchers, led so far by Mike Hefferan, who is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA, 14 strikeouts in 18 innings, and is holding hitters to a .141 batting average with only nine hits allowed. His microscopic numbers are followed by Eric Schmid, who is 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 15.2 innings with a .157 batting average against. Zach Linquist sits at 2-0 with a 3.07 ERA in 14.2 innings, while the rotation is rounded out with Maustic Otterstatter, who is 2-0 with a 5.85 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 20 innings of work with only three walks allowed. The bullpen has a shutdown arm in it by the name of Tanner Kilmer, who is 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA and eight strikeouts in 9.1 innings with only one walk.
Below are some links to follow the action throughout the weekend, as well as what we anticipate the pitching match-ups will be throughout the four-game series:
Washburn (14-0, 8-0 MIAA) vs #7 Emporia State (10-3, 4-3 MIAA)
WU Preview ||| ESU Preview
Game 1 (@ ESU): Friday, March 13th, 4:00 PM CT (Live Stats)
Maustin Otterstatter (2-0, 5.85) vs Garrett Brummett (3-0, 1.50)
Game 2 (@ WU): Saturday, March 14th, 2:00 PM CT (Live Stats)
Mike Hefferan (2-0, 1.00) vs Shawn Talkington (2-1, 4.91)
Game 3 (@ WU): Saturday, March 14th, 5:00 PM CT (Live Stats)
Zach Linquist (2-0, 3.07) vs Travis Hendry (2-1, 1.80)
Game 4 (@ ESU): Sunday, March 15th, 1:00 PM CT (Live Stats)
Eric Schmid (2-0, 1.72) vs Jarrod Miller (1-0, 3.38)
Note: Starting pitchers are projected based on past series' and subject to change.
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