Box Score (WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – The 10^th-ranked Central Missouri Mules opened their key four-game series with Missouri Southern with a 6-4 win on Friday night at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. The Mules opened a 5-0 lead and withstood a late Lion rally to get the win.
      The Mules (20-5, 15-4 MIAA) grabbed the early lead with three runs in the second inning. Chase Graskewicz had an RBI single to get UCM on the board and Gabe Thibodeau added a two-out, two-run double to give the Mules a 3-0 lead.
      Central Missouri plated a single run in the sixth to make it 4-0. John Oropeza reached on a throwing error and later scored on an RBI groundout by Graskewicz. The Mules made it 5-0 in the seventh when Jordan Coons brought home Bret Schwartz with a groundout. Schwartz had tripled to lead off the inning.
      The Lions (19-8, 12-7 MIAA) scored a single run in the eighth on a Dane Kolkmeyer RBI single to get on the board, but UCM responded with a single run in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-1. Thibodeau brought home Ben Cox with a single to right center.
      Missouri Southern plated three runs in the ninth to pull within a pair, but Kolkmeyer was thrown out at second to end the game after singling in the fourth run of the game for MSSU.
      Kurtis Schuyler (4-1) was solid on the mound for UCM allowing just one run on four hits in seven innings of work. He walked just one and struck out four. Coons recorded his fourth save of the season after coming on in the eighth inning.
      Ethan Stenger (2-2) took the loss for the Lions after giving up six runs on five hits in 7.1 innings. He was walked five and struck out a pair.
      Thibodeau finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs driven in, while Graskewicz drove in two runs.
      The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Saturday is also “Military Appreciation Day” with all military personnel, active or retired, and their immediate family members receiving free admission with a military ID.