WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 19, 2018) - No. 5 Central Missouri Mules Baseball is back on the road for their next four games. The Mules are coming off a 2-1 series win at home against Pittsburg State and will look to carry that momentum. UCM begins its road trip with a Tuesday game.
Opponent: Lindenwood Lions (12-11, 5-7 MIAA)
When: Tuesday, March 20, 6 p.m.
Where: St. Charles, Mo. - Lou Brock Sports Complex
First Pitch
• Central Missouri claimed its fourth straight MIAA series with a 2-1 series win over Pittsburg State this past weekend.
• The Mules dropped their first game of the series to the Gorillas, which ended a seven game winning streak. They bounced back to win two straight and take the series.
• With the back-to-back wins this past weekend, UCM is now winners in nine of its last 10 games.
• The Mules will be back on the road for the nest four games, before returning home for five straight. The rest of their games in the regular season are MIAA contests.
Quick Hits
• Central Missouri was picked to finish second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Central Missouri totaled 32 wins last year. The Mules have won at least 30 games in all three seasons under Coach Crookes.
• The Mules have finished with a winning record in each of the last 32 seasons.
• The Mules are 7-1 on the road this season, with seven wins coming in a row.
The Series
• Central Missouri and Lindenwood will square off against each other for just the 35th time overall. In 34 meeting, UCM leads 24-10 over Lindenwood. The Lions have won the last two meetings tough over the Mules.
• UCM is 5-5 against the Lions under Coach Crookes. In his first season as head coach in 2015, the Mules went 1-3 against the Lions. In 2016, the team bounced back and swept Lindenwood 3-0. Last season, the Mules took down the Lions, 13-9, in 13 innings at home, but dropped the next two on the road.
Lindenwood
• Lindenwood is 12-11 overall, with a 5-7 mark in MIAA play entering the Tuesday tilt. The Lions claimed a 2-1 series win over Northwest Missouri State this past weekend to get back over .500.
• The Lions have struggled as of late. Before winning the final two games against Northwest Missouri, they had dropped five straight games, and seven of their last eight.
• Lindenwood will the hit the road for seven of their next eight games following their game against the Mules. The Lions are faring well at home at 8-2, but are just 4-9 on the road.
• The Lions are tied for eighth in the MIAA in batting average at .268. They are third to last (11th) in the league in home runs hit with just 11. Their on base percentage of .359 is just 10th in the MIAA.
• Lindenwood is also 10th in in runs scored with 121, while the team's 205 hits are eighth in the MIAA.
• There is just one player batting over .400 for the Lions. Drew Quinones leads the teams with a .407 average. He sits eighth in the MIAA. He is tied for ninth in hits with 35, while his 10 doubles are tied for fourth. His on base percentage of .510 is tied for fourth. He is tied for third in triples with two.
• One player is batting over .300 for Lindenwood with a pair of players batting just under that mark. Vince Saladino is second on the team with a .323 average. DJ Miller is third at .292, while Wes Degener is fourth at .291.
• On the mound, the Lions are sixth in the MIAA with a 5.06 ERA. They have allowed 191 hits and 13 home runs.
• Tyler Cassmeyer leads the way for the Lions in both era and wins. He sports a 1.99 ERA with a 4-2 record on the year and his ERA is second best in the MIAA. He has appeared in seven games, making six starts. His 45.1 innings pitched is the most on in the MIAA and he is holding batters to a .195 average, which is second best in the league. He has struck out 47 batters
• Kyle Hentis second on the team in ERA with a 4.06 average as a starter and has struck out 40 batters. He is 2-1 in six game appearances, with four starts. He has allowed 25 hits and 18 runs, 14 of them being earned. Out of the bullpen Nate Hillerman has three saves to lead Lindenwood. He has appeared in eight games and pitched 9.0 innings. Making the most appearances without a start is Michael Cessna. He has appeared in 10 games and pitched 21.2 innings. He has a 4.15 ERA and a 1-0 record.
• Pittsburg State sports a .961 fielding percentage which is fifth in the MIAA and they have the fifth least amount of errors with 32. They have turned just nine double plays this season which is the second least amount in the MIAA.
The Mules
• Central Missouri is 19-4 overall with 10-2 mark in MIAA play. UCM is winners in nine of its last 10 games, including back-to-back wins. They are ranked No. 5 in the latest NCBWA Top-25 rankings.
• The Mules claimed their fourth straight MIAA series with a 2-1 series win over Pittsburg State. The Mules scored 10-plus runs in every game as they won 13-8, 12-6 and 11-6 over the Tigers.
• As a team, the Mules have a .337 batting average, which is second in the MIAA. UCM is holding teams to a .346 on base percentage and is averaging almost nine runs per game at 8.7.
• The Mules bullpen still continues its strong play. While Mules pitchers have a 4.39 ERA this season to sit fourth in the MIAA, the bullpen ERA is 3.50.
Luke Mercer earned back-to-back saves this past weekend has six saves in the Mules 19 wins. He has 18 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched, with a 0.68 ERA.
Coby Seiz has gotten the most work out of the pen. He's thrown 16.2 innings giving up just six earned runs and 16 hits with 11 strikeouts. He has two saves and sports a 3.24 ERA.
Ross Juliana has been solid as well with a 3-0 record out of the bullpen. He's also fanned 13 batters in 13.1 innings pitched and allowed just four runs.
• Much of the Mules success can be attributed to the bottom of the lineup.
Harrison Schnurbusch who has batted seventh in 11 games this season, is hitting .333 and has scored 14 runs. The combination of
Dalton Dull and
Donovan Ditto has 23 hits from the No. 9 spot in the lineup. In 48 at bats overall, Ditto is hitting .354 with a .421 on base percentage.
• At the top of the order,
Mason Janvrin and
Erik Webb have a combined 64 hits and 45 RBI. Both have multiple home runs on the year. Webb has 18 extra base hits and leads the team in RBI with 25.
• In 199 innings pitched, Mules pitchers are giving up just one hit per inning. Opponents are hitting just .254 off of UCM pitchers, but have reached base in other ways with 82 walks and have reached on 32 errors and 29 hit batsmen.
• UCM pitchers have also done well at holding runners on base. The Mules have given up just seven stolen bases in 23 games on 15 attempts and have picked a runner off.
• On the flip side, the Mules have stolen 52 bases in 72 attempts themselves. Janvrin has a team-best 18 stolen bases while Webb is second with nine.
Harrison Schnurbusch has added seven.
• Five Mules this season are hitting at least .300.
Travis Able (.443) and
Erik Webb (.405) are hitting over .400, with Able's average ranking second in the MIAA. Janvrin is at .368, while
Collin Nevil is at .323.
Justin Graff-Rowe is hitting .318 and Schnurbusch is at a .308 batting average. Nevil is second on the team in RBI with 24, while Able and Janvrin are third and fourth at 21 and 20 RBI, respectively.
Payne McCutcheon (14), Schnurbusch (13), Graff-Rowe (13),
John Fairchild (12) and
Donovan Ditto (11) each have at least 10 RBI.
• The Mules have hit 25 home runs from 10 different players. Nevil, Webb, Janvrin, McCutcheon and Fairchild have all slugged at least two home runs this season. Nevil and Webb lead the way with six apiece.
Last Time Out
WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 18, 2018) - It was a tightly contested game the whole way through, but in the end fifth-ranked Central Missouri Mules Baseball held off the Pittsburg State Gorillas, 7-6, Sunday afternoon at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. With the win, Central Missouri claims the series 2-1 over Pittsburg State.
Play-by-Play
• Both teams relied on three or more pitchers in the games, and nine totaled stepped on the mound. The Mules (19-4, 10-2 MIAA) had five, while the Gorillas (16-8, 8-4 MIAA) had four.
• The first run of the game did not come until the bottom of the second inning. Pittsburg State had two opportunities to lead first, but left two runners on base in the top of the first and second. The Mules left three runners stranded to start the game, but still managed to grab the lead in the second.
•
Donovan Ditto was hit by a pitch to get on base and got to second on a wild pitch.
Mason Janvrin got him home with a RBI single to center field to give UCM a 1-0 lead.
• Pittsburg State tied the game in the top of the third after Josh Whisler got on with a single to second base. Reece Garvie plated him home with a deep RBI triple to right center.
• UCM grabbed its largest lead of the game in the bottom of the third. After the Gorillas loaded the bases,
Harrison Schnurbusch hit a two RBI double to give the Mules a 2-1 lead.
• Following Schnurbusch,
Payne McCutcheon hit a two RBI single up the middle and it was a three-run UCM lead after three innings, 4-1.
• Pittsburg State added a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to center field from Joeven Afenir to score Cody White. UCM was held without a run and led by just two, 4-2, after four innings.
• Both teams put up three runs in the fifth inning to make it a 7-5 game, with the Mules on top. The Gorillas led 5-4 after scoring their three runs, but it did not last long.
• The Gorillas hit three straight singles to score their first run. White hit a RBI single to center to score Dallas Reed. Following a fielder's choice, Colton Pogue had a RBI base hit through the left side to tie the game, 4-4.
• The final run that gave Pittsburg State its only lead came after two straight walks from UCM loaded the bases and them immediately brought a runner home.
•
John Fairchild tied the game for the Mules with a solo home run to leadoff the bottom of the fifth. Tied 5-5, the Mules added two more runs to retake the lead.
• Ditto and Janvrin got on base from a walk and fielding error, respectively, and got into scoring position on a passed ball.
Erik Webb plated them home with a two RBI double down the left field line to give UCM 7-5 lead.
• The Gorillas held UCM without a run in the final three innings. Their final run came in the eighth on a RBI ground out from Tyson Cushman.
• Pittsburg State got two runners on base in the ninth with two outs, but the Mules got the final out on a ground out to third base to seal the game.
Mules Stat Leaders
• Webb was 2-5, with two RBI. Both of his base hits were doubles.
• Ditto finished a perfect 2-2, with two runs scored.
•
Justin Graff-Rowe went 2-5, with a run scored.
• McCutcheon collected a hit in three at bats, with two RBI.
• Fairchild was 1-4, with one RBI and two runs scored.
•
Dimitri Frank picked up his second win of the year to improve to 2-0. He allowed three hits in 1.1 innings pitched and struck out two batters.
•
Luke Mercer earned his second straight save and sixth of the season. In 1.2 innings pitched he allowed just one hit and struck out a batter.
For the Gorillas
• White was 3-4, with a RBI and a run scored.
• Garvie went 3-6, with an RBI.
• Reed finished 2-3, with two runs scored.
• Ethan Vanderpool suffered the loss to fall to 2-1 on the year. He allowed one hit and two runs, both unearned, in 0.2 innings pitched.
News and Notes
• The Mules have claimed every three game series they have played in this season against one opponent.
• UCM is now 88-35 in MIAA play under
Kyle Crookes.
• Janvrin now has a hit in 12 straight games. He is the first Mule to have a hitting streak reach over 10 games this season.
• Graff-Rowe has 96 career hits. He is just four shy of reaching 100.
• The Mules are now 11-1 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field this season, including winners of their last two.
Up Next
• The Mules are back on the road for their next four games. They get their road trip started with midweek match at Lindenwood on Tuesday, March 20. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Mules in the Polls
• The Mules moved up two spots to No. 5 in the latest NCBWA National Poll. They were No. 7 last week.
• Central Missouri has been ranked in the last three NCBWA polls after starting the season unranked.
• The Mules checked in at No. 24 in the latest ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Poll. UCM was 28th in the first regular season poll.
• UCM is ranked No. 20 in this week's edition of Perfect Game Baseball Division II Rankings. The Mules were unranked the previous three polls.
Mules in Non-Conference Action
• Central Missouri went 9-5 in non-conference games during the 2017 season
• The Mules are 35-24 overall in non-conference action during Crookes' three seasons.
• UCM went 9-2 in non-conference games. They do not have a scheduled non-conference game for the rest of the regular season.
Mules in MIAA Play
• The Mules finished 23-13 in MIAA play last season and are 88-35 in conference play under
Kyle Crookes.
• The Mules finished fourth in the regular season standings in 2017. They have won 25 overall regular season championships in program history.
• Central Missouri is 10-2 in conference play after claiming the series, 2-1, over Pittsburg State this past weekend.
Mules at Home
• The Mules went 14-4 in home games during the 2017 season and have started out 11-1 in 2018.
• Central Missouri was 15-5 at home during the 2015 season and is 59-13 at home under Crookes.
• The Mules are 799-157-1 (.835) in 957 games played in 43 seasons playing home games at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
• Central Missouri will host the 2018 MIAA Baseball Championship Tournament at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field this May.
Mules on the Road
• The Mules went 12-11 on the road in 2017.
• The Mules are 46-31 on the road under head coach
Kyle Crookes.
• Central Missouri is 7-1 in true road games this season after defeating Rockhurst, 12-4, on March 13.
Mules in Neutral Site Games
• UCM has started 1-2 in neutral site games following the Houston Winter Invitational.
• The Mules are 22-16 in neutral site games under Crookes.
• Central Missouri does not have a scheduled neutral site game for the rest of the regular season.
UCM During the Crookes Era
•
Kyle Crookes has a 124-59 (.678) record now in his fourth season as head coach at Central Missouri.
• In 2016, he won his first conference championship as head coach at UCM and the second title overall during his time in Warrensburg.
• During his first three seasons at the helm, 30 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including seven First Team nods. Seven players have earned All-Region honors, one All-American and two players have been selected in the MLB Draft.
• The Mules were 71-29 in Crookes' two seasons as an assistant coach and captured the 2014 MIAA Regular Season Championship. The Mules garnered five First Team All-MIAA selections and three All-America honors during his two years as an assistant.
• Crookes compiled a 292-164 overall record in eight seasons as the head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College before taking over as an assistant coach at UCM.
Mules Baseball History
• The 2018 season marks the 63rd in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 1,883-745-9 (.716) record in 2,637 games played.
• The Mules have won 40 or more games 18 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1999-2012, and have won 50 or more games nine times.
• The Mules have won or shared 25 MIAA championships, captured 17 regional titles and two national championships.
Mules Baseball by the Numbers
• 28 NCAA Regional Appearances (21 of the last 24 years)
• 25 MIAA Titles (17 of the last 24)
• 21 MIAA Tournament Titles (17 of the last 24)
• 17 Regional Championships
• 15 Regionals as host site
• 14 Top Five national finishes
• 4 Third place finishes
• 1 National Runner-Up
• 2 National Championships
Mules Baseball: Winningest Team of the 2000s
• The Central Missouri baseball program has had unprecedented success in the last 25 years and has been even more impressive since the year 2000. The Mules were the winningest team in all divisions of the NCAA by victories (508) and percentage (.814, 508-116) from 2000-09. That success has continued through the 2010s.
• The Mules are 852-234 (.785) since the year 2000. An average of 46 wins per season over the last 18 years.
A Tradition of Excellence in Athletics
• Central Missouri has won a combined 214 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• This past fall, Central Missouri women's soccer won their first NCAA Division II National Championship with a 1-1 (5-3 PK) win over Carson-Newman.
• Central Missouri Jennies Basketball captured their 11th MIAA regular season championship and seventh Central Region crown this season.
• Last season, UCM captured three MIAA regular season titles, one MIAA Tournament crown and two NCAA Regional Championships.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director
Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 160 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won nine national championships during Hughes' tenure (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003, men's basketball in 2014, women's indoor and outdoor track & field in 2015, and women's soccer in 2017) and 11 national championships overall.
• In 2016-17, Central Missouri won the inaugural MIAA's Commissioner's Cup trophy for the conference's top overall athletic department.
A Tradition of Excellence in the Classroom
• Central Missouri had 252 student-athletes named to the 2016-17 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 22 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Scholar Athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA and having earned all-MIAA honors in their respective sport.
• 20 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had five student-athletes earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in their respective sports.
• All-time UCM is fourth in NCAA-II with 103 Academic All-Americans.
•
Carly Thomas of Jennies Bowling was awarded prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships last year.
Upcoming
• The Mules remain on the road for a three game series at Central Oklahoma on March 23-25. Game one gets underway on the 23rd, with a 3 p.m. first pitch.
