KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 13, 2018) - No. 7 Central Missouri Mules Baseball had no problem putting up at least 10 runs as they totaled a dozen in their 12-4 road victory over the Rockhurst Hawks Tuesday afternoon at Loyola Park. The Mules tallied a season-high 22 hits in their win as they scored at least 10 runs for the fourth straight game.
Play-by-Play
• The top of the order had a great start for UCM (17-3) as the first four batters all had base hits to start the game.
• Singles from Erik Webb and Mason Janvrin got things started. They were immediately plated home off a two RBI single from Travis Able to make it a 2-0 lead.
• The Hawks (4-7) found themselves down 4-0 after one inning when Collin Nevil nailed a two run homer to right field.
• Luke Lucas got the starting nod on the mound for UCM and was solid the all afternoon pitching a complete game. He forced three straight ground outs to start the game and the Mules led 4-0 after one.
• Janvrin led off the second with double to left center. Able got him home with a single to right field and it was a 5-0 lead for UCM 1.5 innings of play.
• Rockhurst got its first run in the bottom of the second after a single Jeremy Lufft and back-to-back UCM errors helped him score.
• The Hawks then added two runs in the bottom of the third to cut the Mules lead to 5-3.
• Garrett McNally singled to left center to leadoff the bottom of the third. A throwing error from Lucas got him to second on a failed pickoff and he was then plated home thanks to back-to-back singles.
• The third Rockhurst run came after Lufft struck out swinging but a passed ball on the strike out brought in an unearned run.
• The Mules pushed their lead back to three runs, 6-3, in the top of the fourth. Donovan Ditto hit a leadoff single and Janvrin scored him with an RBI double to right center.
• UCM held Rockhurst without a run in the fourth and fifth inning. It became a 8-3 UCM lead after five when a one-out bases loaded single from Cole Hoover scored one run.Â
• The Mules had the bases loaded after Hoover's single, but the Hawks escaped the jam with a foul out and pop up to first base.
• Two more run in the sixth gave UCM a commanding 9-3 lead. After Able got on base from a fielder's choice, Nevil singled and Justin Graff-Rowe was hit by pitch to load the bases. Entering as a pinch hitter, John Fairchild scored Nevil and Able on the very first pitch with a two RBI single to left center.
• The Hawks fourth and final run came in the bottom of the sixth. Corbin Hare singled down the left field line and a throwing error from UCM got him to second. Cameron Dean score him with a RBI single up the middle.
• UCM's final three runs came in the eighth. Nevil got on base from a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a single from Graff-Rowe. After a Rockhurst pitching change, a passed ball help score Nevil and get Graff-Rowe to third.
• Fairchild scored Graff-Rowe on a base hit to second base following the passed ball. Hoover then singled through the left side and Ditto followed him up with an RBI double to right center to score Fairchild for the final run.
• Lucas gave up just two hits in the final two innings as the Mules held on for the eight-run road win.
Mules Stat Leaders
• Able had a solid game as he produced four hits in six at bats. He had three RBI and three runs scored.
• Also tallying four hits in six at bats was Janvrin. He had a game-high three doubles on his four hits, with an RBI and two runs scored.
• Nevil went 3-6, with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI.
• Hoover finished 3-5, with an RBI and a double.
• Lucas picked up the win on the mound (1-0). He struck out four batters in his complete game and gave up four runs, with just two being earned, on 11 hits.
For the Hawks
• Dean went 2-4 and had one RBI.
• Hare also finished 2-4, with a run scored.Â
• Nic Mertes had two hits in five at bats, with a run scored.
• PJ Seufert suffered the loss to fall to 0-2. He gave up six runs, all earned, on nine hits in 3.1 innings pitched and had just one strikeout.
News and Notes
• The Mules went 7-1 in their eight game road trip, with all seven wins coming in a row.
• UCM has scored at least 10 runs in nine games this season, including its last four. UCM is undefeated in all nine game when scoring 10 or more runs.
• The Mules 22 hits eclipses their previous season high of 19 which they accomplished twice. Their 46 at bats against the Hawks is also a season-high.
• UCM is now 41-8 all-time against Rockhurst and winners of the last two games. Under Kyle Crookes the Mules are now 2-1 against the Hawks.
Up Next
• The Mules return home this weekend, March 16-18, for a three-game MIAA series against Pittsburg State. Game one start time is set for 2 p.m. on Friday, March 16 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
