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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Griffons and Hornets will face off earlier than expected due to the recent snow in St. Joseph and Emporia, Kansas. The Griffons will travel to #4 Emporia State to play two games on Friday afternoon and two more games on Saturday afternoon.

GRIFFON PREVIEW
The Griffons are back in action after taking a weekend off. Last time out, Missouri Western lost two games and managed to win one game against Harding University.

Missouri Western has produced 32 runs on 56 hits this season and has a team batting average of .250. The Griffons have been able to accumulate 78 total bases throughout the seven games, placing them sixth in the MIAA in that category.

Trevor LaHonta and Cosimo Cannella have been the Griffons strongest hitters, both averaging over .400. LaHonta has 12 hits and Cannella has 10 hits on the season. The Griffons home run leader is David Glaude and he has batted in four RBIs this season.

The Griffons have used 14 different pitchers through their first seven games of the season. Banks Born, Richard Peoples, and AJ Martinez have tallied the MWSU wins. Martinez has pitched 8.1 innings allowing three hits and has struck out eight batters.

BUZZ EYES 300
Missouri Western head coach Buzz Verduzco is currently sitting at 298 MIAA victories. Verduczo begins his 16th season as the Griffons head coach and has amassed a total record of 434-327.

The Griffons under Verduczo have remained competitive, winning at least 15 MIAA games in 14 of his 16 seasons. MWSU have won at least 20 MIAA games in nine of those seasons. His career best mark was in 2013 when the Griffons rattled off 28 MIAA victories and won the conference title.

Verduzco will look to get his 300th win against MIAA leader Emporia State on Thursday and Friday.

#4 EMPORIA STATE PREVIEW
Emporia State is currently ranked #4 and have a perfect 4-0 record. The Hornets beat Metropolitan State University of Denver in three games and took one from Bemidji State this past weekend.

ESU has outscored their opponents 47-12 so far this season, averaging 11.75 runs per game. As a team, they have 14 home runs and accumulated 19 stolen bases to help their offensive production. The Hornet pitching has an ERA of 2.00 and have only allowed 29 hits throughout the first four games.

Price Jacobs has been on a tear in the first four games. He is batting .600 with 12 hits including two home runs and four RBIs. He is one of seven players hitting over .400 for the Hornets. Leading the team in RBIs is Tory Bell and Dean Long both tallying eight so far this season.  Bell and Long each have three home runs as well. 

The Hornets have four pitchers with at least six strikeouts as well. Garrett Brummett, Jarrod Miller, Travis Hendry, and Shawn Talkington have all recorded one win this season.

CENTENNIAL MOMEMT
In 2000, Buzz Verduzco coached his first season with the Griffons. MWSU went 21-31 overall and 13-18 in the MIAA.