MILLINGTON, Tenn. (Feb. 5, 2017) -- Third-ranked Central Missouri took advantage of nine North Alabama errors en route to a 9-3 win in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at the USA Stadium. The Mules grabbed the series win as well, winning the final two games of the three-game set.
The Mules (2-1) struck first plating a pair of runs on
Collin Nevil's two-run single in the bottom of the first. North Alabama (1-2) rallied in the top of the second, plating three unearned runs to grab a 3-2 lead. Payton Thomas singled home two runs to tie the game and later scored on a double steal attempt to give the Lions the lead.
Central Missouri came right back in the home half to regain the lead. The Mules had just two hits in the bottom of the second, but they took advantage of four UNA errors to plate five runs and grab a 7-3 lead.
Elijah Dilday drove home the first two runs with a bases loaded single to put UCM back in front.
Justin Graff-Rowe added an RBI on an error by the shortstop to make it 5-3 Mules. Nevil brought home two more runs, earning one RBI, as another UNA error made it a four-run UCM lead.
Jackson Schnurbusch scored a run in the bottom of the fifth on another UNA error on a ball off the bat of Dilday to make it 8-3. The Mules tacked on one more in the eighth when Dilday scored on an error off the bat of Graff-Rowe.
The nine runs were more than enough for
JJ Benes and
Steven D'Amico. Benes (1-0) went five innings, allowing three unearned runs on five hits while striking out three. D'Amico tossed four innings of two-hit relief to pick up his first save of the season.
The Mules return to action next weekend at the Henderson State Invitational in Arkadelphia, Ark. UCM will take on Truman State on Friday night at 6 p.m. at Clyde Berry Field.
