The Hornets baseball team, ranked 11, started their three game series with an 11-4 victory at Central Missouri, ranked 26, April 8, tying for first place in the MIAA.

Emporia came out strong, scoring five runs in the first inning, then adding an additional run in the second inning.

The Mules got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the second. The Hornets did not score again until the sixth inning when Derek Francis, senior infielder, hit a double and Johnny Hodges, sophomore pinch runner, went to third on a wild pitch.

Hodges scored after a ground out from Alex White, junior infielder, giving Emporia a 7-2 lead.

Tucker Perkins, freshman infielder, delivered a three run homer, increasing their score 11-2 in the top of the eighth. The Mules then scored two more runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Central Missouri started the second game off with one run scored in the bottom of the first, and added another run in the bottom of the third with a homer. Dalton Wheat, senior outfielder, hit Wade Hanna, junior outfielder, in to put the Hornets on the board.

The Hornets hit in another run in the top of the sixth to advance the score 2-2. The Mules scored the last run in the bottom of the sixth winning 3-2.

Emporia fell in their final game to the Mules 7-5 on Sunday. Emporia scored their first two runs in the top of the fourth, still in a 3-2 deficit. The Hornets and Mules each scored three runs in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough for the Hornets.

The Hornets host Northeastern State at 6 p.m. tomorrow, at Trusler Sport

Complex.