Box Score KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The fifth-ranked Mules got their second straight game of solid pitching at the MIAA Tournament on Saturday en route to a 3-1 win over the Griffons of Missouri Western at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.. With the win the Mules advance to Sunday's championship game against Fort Hays State at 11 a.m.

The Mules (43-7) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Gabe Thibodeau (Laval, Quebec) led off the game with a single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single from Jordan Coons (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City HS).

The Griffons (34-16) tied the game in the second when Jimmy Smelcer singled home Grant Fink.

Central Missouri regained the lead for good in the top of the fifth. Coons had a perfectly placed bunt single to score Thibodeau from third and give UCM the lead. Brad Wilson (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias HS) singled home Bret Schwartz (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs HS) with the second run of the inning to give the Mules a 3-1 lead.

The Griffons threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but Dane Krone (Savoy, Ill/St. Thomas More HS) got a line out to end the inning. Missouri Western put two runners on in the ninth, before Travis Unthank (Lenexa, Kan./Shawnee Mission South HS) induced a groundout to second to end the game.

Lee Stoppelman (9-0) (Pleasant Hill, Mo./Pleasant Hill HS) continued his hot pitching with another solid outing. He allowed one run on five hits in 6.2 innings. He struck out six and walked two MWSU batters to earn the win. Krone threw two innings of scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts, while Unthank recorded the final out of the game to earn his ninth save of the season.

Nik Jurado (8-2) was the tough luck loser for the Griffons after tossing a complete-game. He allowed three runs on eight hits while throwing 152 pitches. He fanned six and walked three.

Coons finished the day 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI, while Thibodeau had two hits and scored two runs.

With the win, the Mules advance to the championship game of the MIAA Tournament for the 19th consecutive year. The Tigers of Fort Hays State, the sixth-seed, will have to beat the Mules twice Sunday to claim the championship and automatic berth in the NCAA-II South Central Regional