HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 6, 2016) -- Central Missouri led 2-0 heading to the eighth inning, but Arkansas-Monticello scored five runs over the final two innings, including a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the ninth to beat the Mules 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
The game was a pitcher's duel early on with UCM starter
Tyler House and UAM hurler Grant Black both locked in. The Boll Weevils (2-0) didn't get their first base-runner until a two-out walk in the third and their first hit came on a bunt single from Nick Piraino in the fourth. For the Mules,
Jake Alexander had a two-out single in the first, but not another runner reached until an error in the third.
The Mules (0-2) finally broke through in the fifth on a
Brad Jelinek RBI groundout to lead 1-0.
Jackson Schnurbusch led off with a single, went to second on a sac bunt and went to third on a wild pitch to put him in position to score.
The lead grew to 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh when Jelinek laced a double down the line in left to score
Blake Wilfong from first. He stole third, but was thrown out at the plate on a
Dylan Farrell fly to center to end the inning.
Mitchell Dornblut got UAM on the board in the top of the eighth with an RBI infield single. A leadoff hit by pitch and two wild pitches put the runner on third before Dornblut reached. Evan Comeau then singled to left to put runners at the corners with two outs. Comeau went to second on a wild pitch and both runs scored on Piraino's single to center, giving UAM a 3-2 lead.
The Mules came back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
Derek Cornell led off with a single, went to second on balk and third on a sacrifice bunt. He scored on Alexander's single to center to tie the game at 3-3.
In the ninth, Kevin Fitzpatrick was hit by a pitch to leadoff. Following a strikeout, Brian Ray belted a home run down the line in right field to put UAM in front 5-3.
The Mules rallied again in the ninth with Schnurbusch walking and going to second on a wild pitch. He went to third when Wilfong reached on an error and scored on Farrell's RBI single. UCM had runners at first and second with one out in the frame when Cornell smoked a single to center. Wilfong was thrown out at the plate to keep it a 5-4 game and give the Boll Weevils two outs in the frame. Following the first pitch of the subsequent at-bat, Cornell was picked off first to end the game.
Braden Chambers (1-0) picked up the win for UAM after tossing two-thirds of an inning of relief. Dawson Moser picked up his first save of the season.
Grant Gavin (0-2) took the loss for UCM after allowing two runs on one hit in one inning of work. House went six solid innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out nine.
UCM out-hit UAM 9-5 in the game as Alexander finished with three hits and an RBI. Jelinek drove in a pair as well.
The Mules wrap up the Houston Winter Invitational on Sunday at 10 a.m. taking on sixth-ranked St. Cloud State.
