Box Score WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The dropped their opening round game of the South Central Regional
8-6 to
St. Edward's on Thursday afternoon at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, Missouri.
The Hilltoppers (36-14) jumped on the Mules early building a 4-0 lead after two innings. SEU plated one run in the first inning and three more in the third for the early advantage. St. Edward's added a single run in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead and chase starter Kurtis Schuyler (Wichita, Kan./Maize HS) from the game.
The Mules (44-8) battled back putting a five-spot on the board in the fifth to tie the game. Gabe Thibodeau (Laval, Quebec) drove in the first run of the game when he reached on an error. Jordan Coons (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City HS) delivered a bases-loaded triple to pull UCM within one at 5-4. He scored one batter later when John Oropeza (Kansas City, Kan./Bishop Ward HS) lifted a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game.
The Hilltoppers came right back in the top of the sixth to regain the lead for good, plating three runs in the inning for an 8-5 lead.
The Mules scored one run in the eighth on a Jon Cotter (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) RBI single to pull within a pair. They Mules threatened again with the bases loaded and one out, but were unable to push any more runs across in the inning. Central Missouri loaded the bases again in the ninth with two outs, but couldn't get the key hit when they needed it.
Aaron Baker (1-1) (Belton, Mo./Belton HS) took the loss for UCM after allowing three runs on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief. Dane Krone (Savoy, Ill./St. Thomas More HS) and Adam Maddox (Concordia, Mo./St. Paul Lutheran HS) combined for 3.1 innings of one-hit relief.
Brad Nasis (10-3) earned the win for St. Edward's after allowing six runs, three earned, on six hits in 7.1 innings. He walked four and struck out three. Stephen Johnson pitched the final 1.2 innings, while striking out four, to earn his 17th save of the season.
The loss to St. Edward's marks the first time since 2006 that the Mules lost their opening round game in the regional, and the first opening round loss in a home regional since 2000. UCM will square off with Texas A&M-Kingsville at 11:00 a.m. on Friday in an elimination game.
