Box Score PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The fifth-ranked Mules opened their final regular season series with a 13-3 win over Pittsburg State on Friday night at Al Ortolani Field in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Mules used a five-run third inning to seize control as they out-hit PSU 20-13.

The Gorillas (20-25, 16-19 MIAA) got on the board first with a solo home run by Chase Barnes in the bottom of the first. The Mules (38-7, 31-4 MIAA) tied the game in the top of the second inning. John Oropeza led off the frame with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from Kevin Gratza.

UCM broke the game open in the top of the third with five runs. Bret Schwartz had an RBI bunt single to put the Mules in front. Oropeza added a two-run single to make it 4-1 and Gratza's second sac fly of the game gave Central Missouri a 5-1 lead. Chase Graskewicz finished off the scoring with an RBI double down the right field line to make it 6-1.

Albert Selanders led off the fifth with a home run, his fourth of the year, to give UCM a 7-1 lead and an RBI single from Jon Cotter later in the inning made it 8-1.

The Gorillas plated one run in the fifth on an Evan Thomas RBI double to make it 8-2, but UCM responded with another run in the top of the sixth on Selanders' second home run of the game to extend the lead to 9-2.

Schwartz had a bases loaded single in the ninth to plate two runs and extend the lead to 11-2. Jordan Coons run-scoring single brought Schwartz home to give UCM a 12-2 advantage and Kyle Grieshaber was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the 13th run of the game.

The Gorillas plated a single run in the ninth on four straight singles, but the Mules cruised to the 10-run win.

Kurtis Schuyler (8-2) gave up two runs on eight hits in six innings to earn his third straight win. He walked two and struck out six. Aaron Baker picked up his first save of the year after tossing three innings of relief. He gave up one run on five hits with two K's.

Jake Moore (1-2) took the loss for Pittsburg State after giving up six runs on seven hits in three innings.

Gabe Thibodeau finished the game 4-for-6, while Selanders was 3-for-3 with the two homers and Cotter was 3-for-4. Schwartz drove in three runs to move into eighth place on UCM's career RBI list with 163.

The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.