WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 23, 2017) --
Zach Girrens tossed a complete-game three-hitter and the UCM offense exploded for 10 runs on 12 hits as the Mules beat Fort Hays State 10-0 in seven innings in the MIAA and home opener at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field on Thursday.
The Mules (8-2, 1-0 MIAA) got all the offense they would need in the second inning.
Erik Webb tripled to deep center field with one out and scored on
Miles Orscheln's RBI single to right to put UCM up 1-0.
Central Missouri tallied six runs in the third to bust the game wide open and take a 7-0 lead.
Jackson Schnurbusch led off the inning with a triple to the gap in right center and scored on
Blake Wilfong's RBI single. A single by
Justin Graff-Rowe put runners at the corner with two out for
Travis Stroup, who bunted for a single and scored a run to make it 3-0.
Collin Nevil added an RBI single to make it 4-0 and Webb singled home two more runs for a 6-0 UCM lead.
Elijah Dilday added a sacrifice fly and the Mules led 7-0 after three innings.
Stroup hit a towering home run to left field in the fifth inning to make it 8-0 Mules and added an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-0. He went to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch to give the Mules the run-rule victory.
Girrens (1-0) was dominating on the mound en route to his first win of the season. He went seven innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven on just 85 pitches. He held the Tigers (6-5, 0-1 MIAA) hitless through 4.2 innings and allowed just one FHSU baserunner to reach second base.
Stroup finished the game 3-for-4 with a double, home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. Nevil, Orscheln and Webb all had two hits apiece with Webb driving in two and scoring two runs, while Nevil, Orscheln, Dilday and Wilfong all drove in a run as well.
Alex Ruxlow (2-2) was tagged with the loss for Fort Hays State after allowing seven runs on eight hits in just 2.1 innings of work.
The series continues on Friday with a single nine-inning game slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
