HAYS, Kan. (March 9, 2018) - No. 7 Central Missouri Mules Baseball put up at least 10 runs for the sixth time this season as they earned a 13-8 series opening win over Fort Hays State Friday afternoon at Larks Park. The Mules scored at least one run in eight of the nine innings and totaled 11 hits to secure their fourth straight win.

Play-by-Play
• UCM (14-3, 6-1 MIAA) limted their mistakes with just one error on the afternoon, while FHSU (9-9, 1-6 MIAA) had three.
• The Tigers walked Mason Janvrin to start the game. He stole second and Justin Graff-Rowe brought him home with an RBI single to center field.
• Collin Nevil immediately made it a 3-0 Mules lead with with two-run homer down the right field line.
• The Tigers responded in the bottom of the inning. Addison Kaasch singled and stole second to leadoff. He made it home after advancing on back-to-back ground outs.
• Janvrin made it a 4-1 UCM lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single through the left side to bring McCutcheon in.
• Things got interesting for a minute as FHSU got within one of UCM in the bottom of the second. Solo home runs from Ryan Grasser and Cody Starkel made it one run-game, 4-3.
• The Mules pushed it back to a two-run lead, 5-3, in the third. After a pair of walks got Nevil and Justin Graff-Rowe on base, sacrifice plays by Cole Taylor and Harrision Schnurbush scored Nevil.
• The lead was pushed to 7-3 in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-run homer by Erik Webb to left center.
• FHSU did not let the game get away, adding two runs in the bottom of the fourth to stay within two, 7-5. A double, a triple and a fielding error in that order got FHSU its two runs.
• Back-to-back singles by the Mules got them going in the fifth and a throwing error after a McCutcheon bunt scored Graff-Rowe.
• It became a five-run lead for UCM in the sixth. Webb got the first run as he scored from third on a wild pitch. Nevil grounded out to first base to score Travis Able and it was 10-5 Mules.
• FHSU put up two runs in the bottom of the sixth to keep the game in reach on last time. With two outs, the Tigers knocked three straight hits, two singles and a double, to cut the Mules lead to 10-7.
• Schnurbusch led off the seventh with a single and Michael Bainbridge was then walked. A ground out by Ditto put the two in scoring position and Janvrin brought them home with a single up the middle to make it 12-7, UCM.
• Both teams scored their final run in the ninth. Zak Whalin singled through the right side after Schnurbusch was walked. A sacrifice fly by Janvrin scored Schnurbusch. 
• Grasser hit his second home run to leadoff the bottom of the ninth before the Mules got three straight outs to take game one.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Janvrin was 2-3 on the day with two runs scored and a game-high four RBI. He also had five stolen bases.
• Nevil had one hit in four at bats, with three RBI and two runs scored.
• Able went 2-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
• Graff-Rowe had a 2-4 hitting performance, with a run scored.
• Webb finished 1-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Schnurbusch was 1-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. He also had two stolen bases.
• Seiz got the win on the hill to improve to 1-0. He struck out four batters in 3.2 innings pitched and allowed two runs, both earned.

For the Tigers
• Grasser led the way going 2-4, with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Dayton Pomeroy also went 2-4, with two RBI.
• Starkel put up two hits in five at bats, with an RBI and two runs scored.
• Kaasch was 2-5 on the day, with two runs scored.
• Jason Nicholson finished 2-5, with a run scored and one RBI.
• Ben Ramberg suffered the loss to fall to 2-3. He allowed five runs, all earned, on four hits in 2.0 innings pitched.

News and Notes
• The Mules 10 stolen bases on the day are the most in a game this season.
• Janvrin's five stolen bases are a career-high. He now has 15 on the season. He had eight all of last year.
• Nevil's home run is the 17th of his career, while Webb's is his eighth. They are tied for the team lead with three apiece and the only two players with multiple home runs this season.
• UCM has scored five or more runs in each of its last four wins.
• The Mules are now 84-34 in MIAA play under Kyle Crookes.

Up Next
• Game two of the series. The Mules and Tigers will be back at it Saturday afternoon (tomorrow). Game two opening pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Larks Park.