WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 10, 2017) -- Third-ranked Central Missouri split the first two games of a key MIAA series with Central Oklahoma on Friday at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. The Mules won the opener 6-3 before dropping the nightcap 7-3.
Central Oklahoma (14-4-1, 5-3 MIAA) jumped out to an early 3-0, scoring three times in the first inning of game two. The Mules (14-4, 6-2 MIAA) got on the board in the bottom of the first on
Collin Nevil's RBI groundout to pull within 3-1.
UCM grabbed the lead in the fifth inning, scoring four times, to lead 5-3. All four runs were scored with two outs.
John Fairchild doubled with two outs, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on
Erik Webb's RBI single to pull within 3-2.
Travis Stroup then bombed a three-run home run to left to put the Mules in front.
UCM tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on
Matt Elliott's sacrifice fly for the 6-3 advantage.
Zach Girrens (2-1) picked up the win in the opener, allowing three runs on four hits in six innings of work. He walked one and struck out five.
Tayler Ross tossed 2.2 innings of one-hit relief before
Andy Muehlberger came on to retire the final batter of the game to record his third save of the season.
The Bronchos scored in the first inning again in game two, this time scoring twice to grab the early lead. UCM got on the board in the home half on Nevil's RBI fielder's choice to make it 2-1.
The Mules took the lead in the second, scoring twice on sacrifice flies by
Justin Graff-Rowe and Stroup to lead 3-2. The Bronchos tied the game in the fourth on an RBI fielder's choice and took the lead in the fifth when a runner scored from third on a first and third two out steal attempt.
The Bronchos tacked on three more runs in the top of the ninth on four hits and a UCM error for the 7-3 win.
Taylor Burns (2-2) took the loss for the Mules, giving up four runs, three earned, on eight hits in five innings. Tyler Culver (2-0) earned the win for UCO, allowing three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings.
The series is scheduled to wrap up on Saturday at 2 p.m., but a decision will be made on Saturday morning based on the current weather situation.
