JOPLIN, Mo. (April 13, 2017) – Central Missouri used a five-run fourth inning to take the lead and they held off Missouri Southern for an 11-8 win in the series opener on Thursday night at Warren Turner Field. The Mules out-hit the Lions 13-8 in the game as well.
The Mules (23-11, 14-8 MIAA) wasted no time in jumping on the board.
Travis Able walked to lead off the game and scored on
Collin Nevil's triple to right center.
Justin Graff-Rowe tripled down the line in right to score Nevil and the Mules led 2-0.
The Lions (20-19, 12-13 MIAA) scored one in the home half without a hit to pull within 2-1. Three straight walks loaded the bases with one out before Richie Gorski's sacrifice fly scored a run.
The Mules pushed the lead back to two at 3-1 on
Jackson Schnurbusch's solo home run in the second, but Missouri Southern scored twice in the home half to tie the game. An RBI single from Alec Alvarez and a sac fly from Max Hogan plated the runs for MSSU.
The Lions took the lead in the third, scoring three times to take a 6-3 lead. Cory Canterbury had a two-run single and Mike Million plated the third run on a single to left.
Central Missouri came right back with five runs in the top of the fourth to grab an 8-6 lead.
Matt Elliott doubled with one out and scored on
Matt Safranek's single up the middle to pull the Mules within 6-4.
Blake Wilfong's bunt single plated another run to make it 6-5, and
Travis Able's RBI single tied the game. Able was thrown out trying to steal second, but on the throw Wilfong came home with the go-ahead run.
Justin Graff-Rowe was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded later in the inning for the 8-6 advantage.
Wilfong added an RBI double in the fifth inning that scored Safranek to give UCM a 9-6 lead. The lead grew to 11-6 with two more runs in the eighth.
Travis Stroup scored on a wild pitch for the first run and
Justin Graff-Rowe singled home
Collin Nevil for the second.
The Lions got to within 11-8 in the home half of the eighth inning on Million's two-run home run to left. Missouri Southern brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but
JJ Benes came on to get a lineout double play to end the game and give the Mules the series-opening win.
Benes recorded his second save of the season, recording the final two outs, while
Ross Juliana (2-0) picked up the win in relief. He allowed two runs on four hits over 3.1 innings of work.
Seth Mesey (2-3) took the loss for Missouri Southern after giving up seven runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings.
Graff-Rowe finished the game 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Wilfong had two hits and two driven in, while Nevil, Safranek and Schnurbusch also finished with two hits apiece.
The series continues on Friday with game two slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch.
