Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  | Season Stats

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The No. 22 Mules Baseball team wrapped up their series at Northwest Missouri with a doubleheader split on Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Field. UCM came up short in the opener, losing 4-3, but responded with a 9-0 win in the nightcap. The Mules took three out of four from the Bearcats in the series.

The Bearcats (20-17, 15-14 MIAA) jumped out to an early lead in game one scoring three times in the second inning and once in the third to open a 4-0 lead. The Mules (29-12, 26-6 MIAA) rallied for two runs in the fifth on a Dusty Maas' bases loaded walk and a run scoring double play. UCM plated another run in the sixth on Seth Wheeler's pinch-hit double to pull within 4-3, but they would get no closer.

Ryker Fox (6-2) picked up the complete-game victory for Northwest Missouri allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits. Kyle Gehrs (5-3) took the loss for UCM after giving up four runs, only one earned, on six hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked one.

The Mules returned the favor on NWMSU in game two, jumping out to their own 4-0 lead with a run in the second and three in the third. Wheeler had an RBI single to put UCM on the board. Brad Wilson added an RBI in the third to make it 2-0 and Kevin Gratza plated two more runs with a single to make it 4-0.

UCM tacked on single runs in the fifth on a Maas RBI single, and the sixth on Tony Sandifer's RBI single to make it 6-0. Sandifer added another RBI sigle in the eighth to make it 7-0 and a pair of unearned runs later in the inning gave Central Missouri a 9-0 cushion.

Kurtis Schuyler (5-2) picked up the win after scattering four hits in 5.2 innings to go along with four strikeouts. AJ Walkenhorst and Grant Gavin combined for 3.1 innings of one-hit relief.

Nikko Pablo (1-1) took the loss for Northwest Missouri after giving up four runs on five hits in just 3.2 innings pitched.

Trevor Jones was 4-for-6 in game two with a pair of runs scored, while Gratza and Sandifer each drove in two runs.

With the three wins in the series, UCM has clinched a spot in the MIAA Postseason Tournament. The Mules are back in action next week hosting Missouri Western April 17-19 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. The series is scheduled to get underway with a single-game on Thursday at 6 p.m.