HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 5, 2016) -- The Central Missouri Mules rallied from three runs down to the tie game in the seventh inning, but untimely errors and walks proved to be the difference in a 6-5 season-opening loss to No. 16 Henderson State on Friday night at the Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park.
The Mules (0-1) trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but
Bennett Oliver hit a leadoff home run and
Blake Wilfong belted a two-run shot to tie the game at 4-4 for UCM.
The Reddies (2-2) regained the lead for good, however, in the top of the eighth with a pair of unearned runs. A leadoff walk, one of 14 in the game for UCM pitchers, and a single put two on with no outs for Henderson State.
Grant Gavin then struck out Jared Gage and got Jordan Taylor to hit a tailor-made double play ball to short, but a throwing error on the relay allowed Taylor to reach and allowed Alan Hall to score with the go-ahead run. Following another walk, Tadarious Hawkins roped a single to right to score another run, giving HSU a 6-4 advantage.
The Mules put two on with one out in the eighth against All-American closer Nick Vanthillo, but a pair of groundouts ended the threat. In the ninth, the Mules plated one run on
Dusty Maas' RBI groundout, but could get no closer.
The Mules jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. After battling out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the first,
Derek Cornell led off with a triple to right center and scored on
Matt Elliott's groundout to second.
The Reddies went in front 2-1 with a pair of runs in the third. Hunter Mayall reached on an error to lead things off and went to second on Gage's walk. Taylor then roped an RBI double to left center and Hayden Lessenberry added an RBI groundout.
The lead grew to 3-1 in the fourth on Taylor's bases-loaded walk, one of three in the inning. The lead reached 4-1 in the top of the seventh when Hawkins drew a lead off walk, went to second on a balk, stole third and scored when Jake Gaul grounded in to a double play.
Gavin (0-1) took the loss for UCM after allowing two unearned runs on two hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Taylor earned the win for Henderson State after throwing just one pitch to get out of the bottom of the seventh. Vanthillo, who led the nation in saves in 2015, picked up his first of 2016 after allowing one run on three hits over two innings.
The Mules look to get in the win colum on Saturday afternoon when they take on another Central Region foe in Arkansas-Monticello at 2 p.m. The Boll Weevils opened their season with a 10-6 win over Tarleton State in the first game of the day on Friday.
