MATT ROBERTSON

What, pray tell, is Bob Fornelli up to?

The ESU baseball coach added Barton County pitcher Matt Robertson — younger brother of Detroit Tigers pitcher Nate Robertson — to his recruiting class and … what a class. Robertson, who has been drafted twice by the Tigers (42nd round 2007, 49th round 2008), is the sixth Barton player to sign with the Hornets and one of 10 Jayhawk Conference players headed to ESU. Along with three Division I transfers. There is only one high school player in the class — Jordan Welch out of Central Heights.

It’s almost like … Fornelli’s trying to win a national championship or something.

Take a look at the entire class (below), compliments of ESU’s Donald Weast:

Hornet Baseball Signees for 2010 Season

Name Ht Pos. Hometown/Previous School

David Allbritton 6-6 C Shreveport, La./Barton County CC

Spencer Blades 6-2 LHP Liberty, Mo./Barton County CC

Zack Carlson 6-2 INF Topeka, Kan./New Mexico Univ.

Michael Cotter 6-6 RHP Overland Park, Kan./Barton County CC

Matthew Dahms 6-1 C Kansas City, Mo./Barton County CC

J.D. Herman 6-0 INF Omaha, Neb./Butler County CC

Tyler Herrig 6-0 INF Leavenworth, Kan./Florida Atlantic

Jake Hosey 6-1 RHP Topeka, Kan./Allen County CC

Tyler Knight 6-2 OF Lawrence, Kan./Sam Houston State

Jake Martin 6-2 LHP Shawnee, Kan./Mid American Nazarene

Matt Robertson 6-1 RHP Valley Center, Kan./Barton County CC

Kyle Rosine 6-0 RHP Knob Noster, Mo./Hutchinson CC

Drew Smith 6-3 RHP Eaton, Colo./Barton County CC

Jordan Welch 6-1 INF Princeton, Kan./Central Heights HS

Drew Wilkinson 6-2 OF Manhattan, Kan./Hutchinson CC

KATIE MONA

Emporia State distance runner Katie Mona made everybody else’s summer seem pretty ordinary at the USA Junior Outdoor track and field championships this weekend in Eugene, Ore. (where yours truly was born), finishing sixth in the 3000 meters with a time of 10:28:21. The rising sophomore from Lenexa was one of four Hornets in Eugene, along with Vincent Howze (400m hurdles), Darwin Hall (100m dash) and Asher Delmott (3000m steeplechase). Mona was the MIAA champ in the 3000 this season and finished second in the 1500.

My Uncle Kevin took me to see this flick when I was a little kid. I’m pretty sure we went to go see it again the next weekend.

I’m out. TA.

RYAN ANTHONY

Compliments of ESU’s Josh Slaughter, here’s an update on some Hornets and their minor-league travels, the lot of them in short-season A ball. Ryan Anthony, a big lefty from Overland Park, was the latest to sign, and he’ll be with either one of two Cleveland farm teams — Lake County or Mahoning. Looks like Conner Crumbliss is spending his days in Vancouver.

Former Hornet pitcher Ryan Anthony signed with the Cleveland Indians organization today. The 6-4 left hander from Overland Park, Kan. will report to Ohio where he will begin his career with either the Lake County Captains or the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

Anthony went 8-3 this season with a 3.38 ERA and 74 strikeouts. He threw a team high two shutouts along with three complete games. He was named second team All-MIAA as a pitcher this season.

He will join three other Hornets in short season single A baseball. He joins Keith Hernandez (Oneonta Tigers), Conner Crumbliss (Vancouver Canadians) and Trent Lare (Staten Island Yankees) in the minor leagues. He is the second ESU left-hander to sign in as many days as Lare signed with the Yankees yesterday.

CONNER CRUMBLISS

Emporia State senior outfielder Conner Crumbliss, an Ark City product and the 2009 MIAA player of the year — was selected by the Oakland Athletics today in the 28th round, who picked him as a second baseman, which is where he began his career with the Hornets. Gotta think his big year this season contributed to this — leading ESU to the national championship game and a regular-season MIAA title. Read the vitals below, compliments of ESU:

June 10, 2009 – The MIAA Player of the Year and former Hornet Conner Crumbliss was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 28th round with the 843rd pick overall in the Major League Baseball first year draft. Crumbliss was drafted as a second baseman after starting his career at Emporia State at second base and finishing in center field. He is the third Hornet drafted since 2006 joining Gabe Medina and John Martin.

Crumbliss hit a team high .397 on the year and scored 92 runs including the Hornets only run in the National Championship game against Lynn. He had 98 hits with 30 doubles, five triples, five home runs and 54 runs batted in. He led the nation in runs this season, was second in doubles, and was ranked third in hits and runs per game. He was eighth in the nation in doubles per game and was 16th nationally in stolen bases. He was named first team All-MIAA and was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player. He led the MIAA in runs scored and was second in the league in doubles and hits. He also set an MIAA and ESU single season record in doubles.

He finished his career at ESU as the all-time career hits leader, doubles, at-bats and runs scored leader. He is the MIAA career leader in doubles with 78 and finished in the top 10 nationally with 311 career hits.

The Hornets finished their season in the National Championship game falling 2-1 to Lynn University. They went 49-14 for their fifth straight 40 win season and were ranked #2 in the final ABCA National Poll.

Here’s the release from ESU’s Josh Slaughter:

The #3 Emporia State baseball team fell 2-1 to Lynn in the National Championship game in Cary, North Carolina. ESU was outhit 10-6, but forced Lynn to strand ten runners during the game. ESU stranded seven in the game and got only one extra base hit. The Hornets finish the season 49-14 and won the MIAA regular season championship and South Central Regional Championship.

ESU got on the board first as Conner Crumbliss led off the game with a single and came around to score later in the inning on the RBI by Kellen Lane. Lynn answered with one run in the second and third inning and that was all the scoring the game would see as both pitchers threw up zeroes in the final six innings.

At the plate Kellen Lane finished his career by going two for four with one RBI. Conner Crumbliss went two for four with a run scored and had five put-outs and an assist from the outfield. Caleb Williamson had a hit and junior Jacob White went one for four with a triple. On the mound Ben Graham pitched will allowing nine hits, but striking out a career high 10 batters. He only walked one as he allowed only two earned runs in his 8.0 innings of work.

The Hornets finish the season 49-14 and National Runner’s Up.

Notes:

Jacob White, Kellen Lane and Ben Graham earned all-tournament honors. In there three national championship appearances ESU has twice lost by one run. ESU pitchers finished with a tournament best 1.50 ERA.

Ben Graham had a career high 10 strikeouts in the game.

ESU hit .303 as a team during the Championship, while holding opponents to a .232 average.

Kellen Lane went seven for 11 with a home run hitting .636 to lead the Hornets.

ESU pitchers led the tournament in ERA, saves and opponent batting average.

The Hornets had only two errors in the entire post-season.

ESU Catcher Mike Sharp was the only catcher to throw out more than one runner.

Jacob White led the tournament in total bases with 12 on the week.

Kevin Wempe led the tournament in Sacrifice bunts.

Ben Graham led the tournament by striking out 15 batters.

Diego Soto did no allow a hit in Baseball Championship.

Andy Cotton led all tournament players in assists with 17 for the tourney.

Andy Cotton, Jacob White and Kenny Burkhead combined to turn seven double plays and turned eight as a team.

All-Tournament Team

C Spencer Sobol, Belmont Abbey

1B Daniel Pembroke, Dowling

2B Jacob White, ESU

3B Josh Tanner, UC-San Diego

SS Chad Crowe, Lynn

OF Kellen Lane, ESU

OF Gabe McDougall, Lynn

OF Daniel Flores, Lynn

P Ben Graham, ESU

P Dan Wright, Lynn

P Tommy Kahnle, Lynn

MVP Tommy Kahnle, Lynn

Now here’s the skinny on where the watch parties are going to be, the one in Emporia might not be a bad place to be if the Hornets win, and Player’s is never a bad place to be on a Saturday afternoon. Josh Wood wants to go to the Ark City Pizza Hut :

Hutchinson

Polo Sports Bar

25 E. 30th

Wichita

Player’s Sports Bar

6200 W. 21st

Topeka

Tailgates Sports Pub

2025 SW Urish Rd.

Topeka, Kan.

Kansas City Area (Kansas City, KS & MO)

Johnny’s off K-10 & Ridgeview

Olathe, Kan.

Arkansas City

Pizza Hut

422 N. Summit St.

Emporia

Bruff’s Bar & Grill

2640 W. 18th

KELLEN LANE

Sunflower Slate hustled and got ESU hero Kellen Lane on the phone Thursday night (thanks to a little help from Josh Slaughter) after his dramatic, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth sent the Hornets to Saturday’s NCAA Division II College World Series title game in Cary, N.C. Lane, a senior from Borger, Texas, played junior-college ball at Odessa (Texas) College before coming to Emporia.

SS: What do you remember about hitting the homer?

KL: I was just looking for a base hit. I wasn’t running that hard because I knew it was either going to be caught or we just won the game. I got to see it go out. I was thinking fastball and I got my hands started then it winded up being curveball and I poked it out. My first thought was that my teammates give me a hard time because I don’t hit home runs. I told them I saved it for the big one.

SS: Ever hit another game-winning HR?

KL: First-time ever. You always dream about it as a little kid. You dream about it but you never think it’ll actually happen.

SS: Have you talked to your family yet?

KL: My dad, my aunt, my uncle and my grandma were here and my mom and stepdad just flew in today. It was awesome. A lot of them haven’t seen me play in a couple of years — seeing their reaction was awesome — they were ecstatic. My aunt and my grandma cried. My mom, I don’t ever think I’ve seen her cry, but she was so happy she couldn’t even talk. My dad always has words of advice — he kind of knew I was going to get a base hit but he didn’t expect that either.

SS: What has this run been like? You guys really turned it around after a hot start and a shaky finish, including the MIAA Tournament.

KL: It’s amazing — completely turning it around after the conference tournament. We had to kind of become a family again. We managed to get some good things going and now we’re rolling. It’s not over yet.

KELLEN LANE

FINAL UPDATE: ESU SENIOR KELLEN LANE HITS TWO-RUN HR IN BOTTOM OF THE NINTH TO SEND HORNETS INTO NATIONAL TITLE GAME….THUS ENDING SUNFLOWER SLATE’S FIRST-EVEN RUNNING GAME BLOG. READ FRIDAY’S EAGLE FOR ALL THE JUICY DETAILS.

Thought I’d update as the game goes along — check out my feature on Kapaun Mount Carmel product and ESU freshman pitcher Dominic King
here. And here’s the link to the ESU blog from Cary.

ESU ace Colby Killian gets the nod today for the Hornets. Opportunity knocks. The Hornets win this one and they’re in the NCAA DII CWS championship game for the first time, ever. A la, the deepest postseason run in school history.

1st inning

0-0

Summary: SD goes three up and three down; ESU gets double from Crumbliss who makes base-running mistake and is caught at third on fielder’s choice. ESU gets another single then they’re done.

2nd inning

1-0 San Diego

Summary: San Diego gets a couple of hits off Killian and some bad defense lets a run in; Emporia State gets a couple of more hits but can’t convert — with Dreiling thrown out at home on a lf-2b-c relay.

3rd inning

1-1

Summary: Killian gives up a hit but comes out otherwise unscathed; Crumbliss opens with a single, his second hit, advances to third then scores on a balk for ESU. Tie game and we go to the fourth. Real question: Will the NCAA’s site hold up?

Fourth inning

ESU 2, San Diego 1

Summary: San Diego grounds into double play to end top half; Cotton’s single scores Sharp for ESU and Hornets take lead.

Fifth inning

ESU 3, San Diego 1

Summary: Killian is still battling — he walks one and hits one but doesn’t give up any hits to put SD down — has only given up three hits through five. This is CK’s MO — not a lot of Ks but get the job done; SD pulls starting pitcher after walking one and giving up a hit to open inning, Sharp singles home Burkhead for 3-1 ESU lead.

Sixth inning

ESU 3, San Diego 2

Summary: They might be getting to Killian — he walks one to start the inning then gives up a single that scores a run — now it is 3-2 ESU — Fornelli pulls Killian for Dominic King. Will Sunflower Slate/Wichita Eagle karma extend to N.C.? He gets first batter to pop up to end inning; ESU gets one hits, Crumbliss intentionally walked and no runs for ESU.

Seventh inning

ESU 3, San Diego 2

Summary: King gives up a couple of hits in a row but survives — they’ll see if King can get through the 8th and then bring in Soto; ESU strands two and no runs.

Eighth inning

ESU 3, San Diego 3

Summary: ESU pulls King for Anthony after King gives up a single — Anthony lasts two batters before Fornelli goes with reliever Diego Soto, presumably to finish the game. Soto inherits runners on first and second with one out — two straight passed balls scores a run and ties the score at 3-3. Now the inning’s over. Never said it would be easy; ESU gets nada into the bottom and onto the ninth.

Ninth inning

ESU 5, SAN DIEGO 3 GAME OVER

Summary: San Diego gets no runs then grounds into double play to end inning; Wempe walked, advanced to third on Williamson singled, Lane up with Wempe on third, two outs. LANE TWO RUN HOME RUN TO WIN GAME ESU INTO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

In other news …. Emporia State senior outfielder Conner Crumbliss was named a second-team NCAA Division II All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association and the Daktronics Division II Sports Information Directors.The Ark City product and MIAA player of the year batted .403 with 54 RBIs and led the league with 89 runs. Good for CC. Could a guy like this play for the Wingnuts, or even have a shot at affiliated ball? I’ll have to consult with Jeff Lutz on that one. Think they’ll have him cover the Raven Symone concert this summer? Man I hope so.

Out. TA.

Here’s the Cowley story:

The Cowley College baseball team’s late rallies fell short for the second straight game Tuesday as the Tigers lost 10-7 to Spartanburg (S.C.) Methodist in the Juco World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
The loss eliminated Cowley, which finished with a 48-15 record, winning 21 of its final 26 games.
Cowley rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 8-4 to trail by one run on two occasions but never could regain the lead.
“We just never could throw a zero up on the scoreboard to give ourselves a chance,” Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. “The guys battled, and I am proud of them for that. I guess any time you end your season here it has been a good season.”
On Monday, Cowley lost to Santa Fe 10-9, after rallying from a 10-2 deficit.
Ronald Melendez went 4 for 5 for Cowley against Spartenburg. The Tigers leadoff hitter went 8 for 16 in the tourney, driving in four runs and had two homers.
Colt Loehrs went 5 for 11 for the tourney, and Ryan Hege went 4 for 11.
Reliever Calvin Drinnen pitched well, going 8ð innings and allowing three earned runs.

CALEB WILLIAMSON

Here’s the story that I put together (box scores compliments of Gary Karr) for Tuesday’s Eagle on ESU advancing to the NCAA D2 College World Series semifinals and Cowley losing at the NJCAA World Series. ESU coach Bob Fornelli is in the Final 4 with his second team after leading Fort Hays to a runner-up finish in 2000. Caleb Williamson delivered the game-winning hit in this one and man … I love it when my Red Ravens deliver in the clutch. Look for the Tigers to bounce back Tuesday against Spartburg (S.C.) Community College.

Enjoy:

ESU gains CWS semifinals; Cowley bows
Eagle staff
The Emporia State baseball team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II College World Series for the first time in school history with a 5-2 win over Mesa (Colo.) State in Cary, N.C.
Trailing 2-1 in the second inning, Caleb Williamson hit a two-run double that gave the Hornets the lead for good. Emporia State added insurance runs in the fourth and seventh innings while Williamson finished 4 for 4 with two RBIs.
Kenny Burkhead went 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Ben Graham was the winning pitcher for ESU, going 6Ð innings while giving up four hits, no earned runs and striking out five.
The Hornets won’t play again until Thursday and won’t know their opponent until Wednesday after games in the losers bracket shake out.
“It’s a lot of time off, but we’re fortunate enough to stay in the winners bracket,” Emporia State coach Bob Fornelli said. “Whoever we play we’ll be ready for. We’re going to go out and watch some games so we’re prepared.”
Fornelli led Fort Hays State to a national runner-up finish in 2000 and took the Hornets to the CWS in 2006. Only one player from that team, outfielder and MIAA player of the year Conner Crumbliss, is still on the ESU roster.
“I was fortunate to get to this point with Fort Hays, but that was a different team, a different time,” Fornelli said. “Even now, Conner is the only kid that played on that 2006 team. This a different group and we’re going to let them do what works for them.”
Fornelli will send Colby Killian to pitch Thursday. Killian, the South Central Regional MVP, has three of the Hornets’ six postseason wins this year.
Fornelli said he was never tempted to save Killian for a possible championship game outing on Saturday.
“I’m not one to gamble at this point,” Fornelli said. “He’s on his normal four days rest so we’ll bring him back.”
Mesa State 020 000 000 — 2 7 2
Emporia State 102 100 10x — 5 11 1
Carma, Davis (4), Bachman (7), Butch (7), Guinn (8) and Vickers; Applehans, Graham (2), Soto (9) and Sharp. W — Graham (8-3). L — Carma (7-4). Save — Soto (12).
ESU batting: Crumbliss 0-3, Wempe 0-4, Burkhead 2-4, Williamson 4-4, Francis 0-2, Lane 1-1, Steinbach 0-1, Sharp 2-4, Dreiling 0-2, White 1-4, Cotton 1-2.
ESU pitching: Applehans 1ð-2, Graham 6Ð-0, Soto 1-0.

Santa Fe (N.M.) 10, Cowley 9 _ Cowley almost dug itself out of a 10-2 deficit after three innings but came up just short at the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
The Tigers will face Spartenburg Methodist (S.C.) at noon today in an elimination game.
“I’m proud of the way our kids battled back, to fight back from that,” Cowley coach Dave Burroughs said. “It was just too big a hole.”
The Tigers had their best chance to retake the lead after Mac Gordon’s three-run home run in the top of the seventh made the score 10-8, then an infield single scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 10-9.
With runners at first and third and one out in the eighth, Andy Petz grounded into a double play to end the threat.
“You can’t pout, you can’t walk around on your lip,” said Burroughs, who led Cowley to national titles in 1997 and 1998. “We’ve got to forget about it, show up and play baseball. I told our guys after the game that our team in ‘97 lost in this same spot and came back to win it all.”
Cowley 200 120 310 — 9 14 1
Santa Fe 307 000 00x — 10 15 2
Kohlscheen, Maler (3), Webb (7) and Gordon; Merians, McIntyre (7), Cox (8), Mee (9) and Bozeman. W — Merians. L — Kohlscheen. Save — Mee. HR — Cowley: Misialek, Loehrs, Gordon; SF: Broxton, Mathews.
Cowley batting: Melendez 2-6, Ross 2-5, Misialek 1-4, Hege 1-3, Loehrs 2-3, Gordon 3-4, Petz 1-4, Specht 0-4, Bass 1-1, Zeller 1-3.
Cowley pitching: Kohlscheen 2Ð-9, Maler 4-0, Webb 1ð-0.