Box Score (WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – The Central Missouri Mules had no answer for No. 4 Pittsburg State and fell to the Gorillas 38-17 on Senior Day at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. The Mules were out-gained 521-292 by PSU as their record dips to 5-3 overall and 4-3 in MIAA play.
            The Gorillas (8-0, 7-0 MIAA) opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Briceton Wilson raced 44 yards untouched up the middle to give PSU a 7-0 lead.
            The Mules answered back on the ensuing possession driving 58 yards in eight plays, highlighted by a 32 yard pass from Tommy Corwin to Taylor Dyer and a 30-yard run by LaVance Taylor to the PSU 11. UCM had to settle for a field goal try though and Aaron Jamieson booted a 27 yard field goal to pull the Mules to within 7-3 with 4:34 to play in the opening quarter.
            The lead was still 7-3 at the end of the quarter, but the Gorillas broke the game open in the second quarter with 17 unanswered points. Eric Love ran for 49 yards to the UCM eight yard line and three plays later Zac Dickey ran it in from two yards out to give Pittsburg State a 14-3 lead. After a three and out by the Mules, the Gorillas took over and drove for another score. A 14-play, 68-yard drive was capped off by a 21-yard Chase McCoy field goal to give PSU a 17-3 lead.
            The Mules fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Gorillas capitalized. Two plays after the fumble Dickey found Love wide open for a 27-yard touchdown pass and the lead grew to 24-3.
            After a Mule punt, the Gorillas took over with just over a minute and a half to play in the half. On a first and ten from his own 21 Dickey rushed right and was hit by Marlon Douglas knocking the ball loose. Evan Knight recovered the fumble and the Mules took over at the Pittsburg State 24 with 48 seconds to play in the half. Three straight incompletions forced a field goal try and Jamieson's 42-yard attempt was blocked. The Gorillas knelt on the ball and went into the half leading 24-3.
            The Mules forced a PSU punt on the opening possession of the second half and took possession at their own nine yard line. Corwin completed passes of 19 and 22 yards to tight end David Cannon and 12 yards to Camren Torneden to move the ball into PSU territory. A 21 yard run by Ralph Watson gave UCM first and goal at the seven and Torneden ran it in on the next play to pull UCM to within 24-10 with 5:20 to play in the third quarter.
            The Mules stopped the Gorillas on the first two plays of the ensuing drive and had PSU in a third and long. Dickey completed a pass to Jon Thomas who appeared to be short of the first down on the catch, but he spun out of a tackle and raced 70 yards for a Pitt State touchdown to push the lead back to 31-10.
            PSU made it 38-10 early in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard run by Dickey. The touchdown run capped a nine-play, 71-yard drive that took 4:01 off the clock.
            The Mules added a late touchdown when Taylor squirted through the left side of the line and out-raced the PSU defenders 51 yards to the end zone to make it 38-17.
            The Mules were held to 292 yards of total offense, 115 on the ground and 177 through the air. In contrast, the Gorillas had 521 yards of total offense, including 366 yards rushing.
            Corwin completed 17-of-39 passes for 177 yards. Cannon led the Mule receiving corps with six catches for 84 yards. Taylor had six rushes for 83 yards and a score, while Torneden finished with five carries for 15 yards and a score.
            Dickey ran 22 times for 111 yards and two scores to lead the Gorillas. He also was 9-of-13 for 155 yards passing and two touchdowns.
            Defensively, the Mules were led by Patrick Lewis' 16 tackles. David Bax added eight stops, including two tackles for loss and a sack.
            The Mules are back in action next Saturday at Lincoln at 2 p.m.