KEARNEY, Neb. (March 17, 2017) –
Travis Stroup hit a pair of home runs and drove in four to lead an offensive outburst as fourth-ranked Central Missouri beat Nebraska-Kearney 12-2 in the series opener on Friday afternoon at Memorial Field. The Mules pounded out 16 hits including three home runs and eight extra-base hits in total.
The Mules (16-4, 8-2 MIAA) wasted no time in jumping on the Lopers (7-13, 0-7 MIAA), scoring three times in the top of the first inning.
Collin Nevil sent a laser over the wall in right for a two-run home run to give the Mules a 2-0 lead. It was his fifth home run of the season.
Matt Elliott made it 3-0 UCM when he doubled down the line in the left and came around to score when the relay throw got away from UNK and rolled down the right field line.
The Lopers plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to get within 3-2, both runs came with two outs. The first two batters in the inning were retired, but a single, a walk and another single got UNK on the board. A wild pitch allowed the second run to score and pull the Lopers within a run.
The Mules extended their lead in the fourth inning, scoring three times to lead 6-2.
Jackson Schnurbusch and
Justin Graff-Rowe had RBI singles in the inning and
Travis Stroup added a sacrifice fly to push the lead to four.
The lead grew to 8-2 in the sixth when the Mules forged a little two-out rally.
Erik Webb doubled to the gap in right center and Stroup blasted a home run to the same part of the field to give UCM a six-run advantage.
Miles Orscheln doubled leading off the seventh inning and scored on Schnurbusch's second RBI single of the game to make it 9-2.
Stroup hit his second home run of the game and team-leading sixth of the season to lead off the eighth inning and give the Mules a 10-2 lead.
Michael Bainbridge added a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth to drive in Graff-Rowe and the Mules led 11-2. He later scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-2.
Zach Girrens (3-0) earned the win for the Mules allowing two runs, only one earned, on three hits in six innings of work. He walked two and struck out six.
JJ Benes worked two innings of scoreless relief. He struck out four while allowing two hits.
Albertus Barber worked a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit.
Mitchell Robinson (3-2) took the loss for Nebraska-Kearney after allowing eight runs on 11 hits in six innings of work.
Stroup finished the day with four hits, four RBI and three runs scored. Nevil had three hits and two runs batted in, while Schnurbusch had two hits and two driven in.
The series continues on Saturday with game two slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch at Memorial Field.
