Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior southpaw Aaron Smith threw 4.2 scoreless innings and Nebraska-Kearney scored four first inning runs to hold off Emporia State, 9-6, Friday night in Kansas.

This was the start of a four-game MIAA series.

UNK (16-8, 10-7) has won three straight, outscoring the opposition 15-1 in the first inning in those victories. The Hornets, mean while, fall to 14-8 (10-7).

Kearney had five of its nine hits in the first, including RBI base knocks from junior Danny Droll (2 for 4, two RBI's, two runs), sophomore Anthony Pacheco (2 for 4, two runs) and freshman Josh Kiger (Papillion-LaVista South H.S.).

The Lopers seemingly were in control after scoring single runs in the third and fourth innings but E-State crossed home plate five times in its half of the fourth to make it a 6-5 game.

All the runs came after two were out with junior Dean Long providing a two-run double.

However, a two-run homer from junior shortstop Dillon Schroeder (1 for 5, four RBI's) in the top of the fifth gave UNK the momentum back.

In his team-leading 10th appearance, Smith (3-0) then took over, blanking the Hornets over the final four innings. The former Scottsdale College Fighting Artichoke and Wyoming native allowed just two base runners while fanning two.

A double header starts Saturday at 1:00 p.m.