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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The Mules battled in a couple of tight ballgames, but were ultimately swept out of the MIAA Tournament with a 6-3 loss to Emporia State and a 4-3 loss in 10 innings to Washburn on Friday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. UCM ends the season 30-22 overall.
The Mules wasted no time in getting going in their suspended game against Emporia State.
Jake Heissler came on in the bottom of the fourth and quickly set the Hornets down to keep it a 2-1 game heading to the fifth. UCM plated two runs in the fifth to grab a 3-2 lead in the game.
Bennett Oliver drove in both runs with a single down the line in right.
The Hornets responded with a single run in the bottom half on Justin Harri's RBi single to tie the game 3-3. That score stood until the eighth when Emporia State scored three times to grab a 6-3 lead. Cody Bobbit's RBI single scored Dean Long to put ESU in front and Jordan Hodges added a two-run single to give the Hornets the three-run advantage.
Shawn Talkington pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 11th save of the season for Emporia State. Garrett Brummett (4-3) earned the win in relief for ESU after throwing 3.1 innings of three-hit relief.
Jake Heissler (6-2) took the loss for the Mules after allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits in five innings of relief. He walked one and struck out eight.
Both starters were taken out of the game the start on Friday morning after pitching Thursday night.
Carlos D'Armas allowed two runs on three hits in three innings of work for UCM while Travis Hendry gave up one run on four hits in 4.0 innings for ESU.
The Mules had to turn right around and play an elimination game against Washburn, who lost the first game of the tournament on Thursday afternoon.
It was a pitcher's duel with neither starter giving an inch to the opposing offense. The Mules appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when
Matt Milner drove a ball deep over the foul pole down the right field line, but was it was ruled foul.
Tyler House was perfect through five innings for the Mules. The Washburn leadoff batter reached on an error in the sixth to break up the perfect game, went to second on a sacrific bunt and scored on WU's first hit of the game, a blooper to center, to put the Ichabods in front 1-0.
That lead stood until the ninth.
Derek Cornell led off with a single, went to second on
Dylan Hanson's sac bunt and went to third on
Tony Sandifer's groundout. Milner was hit by a pitch and on an 0-1 count,
Jackson Schnurbusch laced a single to left to tie the game.
Lucas Williams came on in relief in the bottom of the inning and worked around a leadoff single to force extra innings.
Dylan Farrell led off the 10th with a double and scored on Cornell's two-out single to give the Mules their first lead of the day at 2-1. Cornell then stole second on scored on Hanson's single to make it 3-1 UCM.
The Ichabods battled back in their half of the 10th, however. After a leadoff single, Connor Crimmins lifted a two-run home run over the wall in left to tie the game at 3-3. After a pair of groundouts, WU got a pinch-hit single and a stolen base to put a runner at second with two outs. Payton Soicher then hit a ball down the right field line that scored the runner from second, giving Washburn the walk-off win.
Williams (5-4) took the loss for UCM after allowing three runs on five hits in 1.2 innings of relief. House didn't factor in the decision, but was masterful on the mound. He allowed one unearned run on one hit in eight innings of work. He walked one and struck out 10 batters.
Hank Wellborn (4-2) earned the win in relief for the Ichabods after allowing two runs on three hits in one inning of relief. WU starter Mike Hefferan allowed one run on eight hits in nine innings of work.
